Enemies & Lovers
by Kiya Sama
Summary: AU 1X2x1. For generations, the Maxwell and Yuy dynasties have had a feud that runs blood deep. The final weapons are now to be used to show who was the better family...the future heirs to the family fortune.
1. Chapter One

_**Disclaimers:** I do not own the Gundam Wing Characters…'cause believe you me if I did, I would not be sitting down here on my sorry ass pelting this story out. However, the story belongs to me. So if you find you have some need for it, contact me first. _

_**A/N:** /bows in greeting/ Ohayo, minna-san…this here is my first and humble attempt at a Gundam Wing fic, so please be gentle and now... I better just write the general stuff…_

**Pairings:** 1x 2 (not yet though)

**Warnings:** AU and general yaoi (which means lemons) in the future.

**Reviews:** Yes, please! ( I am well known for my bribes.)

**CHAPTER ONE:**

The young man stared out of large ornate glass windows, his eyes hardly blinking as they dully took in the light drizzle of rain. He could barely make out the waiting limousine downstairs, or the number of trunks and boxes that were now being loaded into the black vehicle. He shifted restlessly on the window seat, absentmindedly blowing away another stubborn lock of chestnut-colored hair that had fallen across his face. He could still hear the raging argument behind him.

His father was at it again.

"I say, old chap! My boy is going to be the best student in that godforsaken school! I only want and will have the best for my boy! Nothing is too good for him, right?!"

The poor secretary had no other choice but to quiver out a weak 'yes'. He dared not refute his employer's statement.

"Those damned Yuys! Who do they think they are?! Sending their blasted son as well! Damn them to hell! That family has been nothing but trouble for me! I can buy and sell their fortune a million times over! You just watch me and see!"

Although, he knew he couldn't. They all knew he couldn't buy them out in a million years.

They were goddamn equals.

Everyone who was anyone knew of the long-time rivalry between the two wealthy dynasties. The Maxwells and the Yuys had no love lost between them. They had hated each other from what seems to have been the beginning of time. Both families, led by the irreplaceable Heero Yuy the First and David Maxwell the Great, had risen out of the dust of the Great Depression, taken a commanding hold in the rising stock market, made their wealth in gold and oil and had slowly become the epitome of all that was good and wonderful about the rich life. Each man had sought for ways to outdo the other, whether it be in the business field, political field or even trivial affairs. Generation after generation had been taught the sacred code of law.

**Never** fraternize with either family… otherwise known as the **enemy**.

No matter what the consequences were or how much it meant to his or her well-being. If anyone was caught even breathing alongside the other, they were either banished from the family fortune or failed to be recognized as members of their respective homes.

All in all, it was pretty nasty stuff.

And now, several generations down the line, the current head of the Maxwell fortune, was in his typical ranting mode. The burly six foot man with shocking brown hair (which he was still proud to display as not being a toupee) with eyes of darkest violet (which had been handed down to his children…to his enormous relief) and brilliant white teeth which completed the handsome visage, was currently pacing up and down the enormous den or office if you will. His first and only son was heading off to a school of higher learning or as we may call it…college, and by God! Duo Maxwell the Sixth was going to the best school there was.

Only problem was…

The Yuys had decided to send their own son there as well, which was, naturally not taken very well by the normally cheerful Maxwell. He had voiced his opinions as soon as the news had been revealed to him, which was about eighteen hours ago, but he had made no attempt to stop the transfer. If anything, David Maxwell was determined to show those damned, blasted Yuys, that his own flesh and blood was capable of being in the same school and quite capable of handling anything the other family had to offer.

After a good long twenty minutes of ranting on the pros and cons of sending his heir to _that _school, he finally quieted down and stared blankly at the motionless figure still perched on the window seat. David Maxwell frowned at the sight and quickly signaling for his secretary to leave them alone, he walked towards the silent boy.

Duo Maxwell fairly jumped at the strong squeeze upon his shoulder. He tore his eyes away from their bleak surroundings to face the cheerful albeit worried look on his father's face.

"Are you alright, son?"

"Sure dad," the boy replied as flippantly as he could. His dark violet eyes glittered in false excitement and it was taking all of his acting skills not to bellow out his frustrations. "What's up?"

David made a soft 'tching' noise in his throat at the loose language. _Honestly, the kids of today…_

"You have been pretty quiet about this whole thing. Aren't you excited about college?"

Duo wanted to scream out, _Sure I am excited…as excited as a turkey going to its execution. I want to go to a **real **college! Not some preppy school, filled with preppy morons, with stupid preppy teachers and lousy boring courses! I want to be free! I want to have to do things on my own terms and not have to do it because of my family name! I don't want to be another Maxwell billionaire businessman! I want to do things **my way**!_

But instead,

"I can't wait to go there, father. The experience should be quite…liberating and enlightening."

David Maxwell grinned broadly and slapped his hands across the young shoulders, barely registering the slight wince of pain from his poor subject on the exuberant expression. Pulling the young man to his feet, his eyes took in the tall, slight body fully clothed in the dark blue blazer and pants of his future school. The jacket highlighted strong shoulders and the pants barely hid the strength in the slim yet powerful thighs and legs. If there was anything that David did not approve of, however, was the length of his son's hair. The damn thing was now so long, it practically kissed his rear end and many a day had gone by with father and son arguing about the merits of the blasted braid.

David thought it made his boy look like a …well…girl. (It didn't help that his son's face looked anything but masculine in features. He blamed his wife for that defect.)

His boy was…_beautiful._ Not handsome like a boy should be, but beautiful as a…girl. And he already had a girl. He didn't need two of them, for crying out loud!

"That's good to hear, son," he continued jovially, his arms now planted firmly across Duo's shoulders. "Now, I have something very important to tell you. You must promise me that you will listen very carefully."

"Yes, father." Duo sighed inwardly. He already knew what the lecture was going to be about.

Those damned Yuys.

&&&&

Those damned Maxwells.

Odin Yuy stared at his passive-faced son in contemplation. He eyed the dark brown locks that somehow could never seem to be in place upon his head. The hair kept falling into the young man's face and he didn't seem to care.

Odin Yuy did not like that.

He did, however, like the way his son had turned out to be personality wise. Prussian blue eyes, which he had inherited from his biological mother (God Rest her Soul), coupled with a straight perfect nose and full lips, that he would have sworn most of the young ladies would have gladly died for, completed the handsome but serious look on the visage.

The serious look. Odin liked that.

His son was no slouch. His son was the best at whatever he did. His son was an exceptional artist, writer, musician, athlete, scholar and all around great guy and that was why he was going to that blasted college. The one those damned Maxwells had decided to send their own offspring to.

On any other day, Odin would have withdrawn Heero (for that was the boy's name…to be exact…Heero Yuy the Fifth) from that school immediately. He was still a strict follower of the sacred code, but this was a blatant challenge from those fools and by God! He was going to accept!

"Heero…" he began calmly, his fingers lacing beneath his chin to stare sternly at the eighteen year old before him. "I have something very important to tell you before you leave this house for college. Are you listening?"

"Yes, sir. I am."

Odin smirked inwardly at the cold, monotonous voice. Yes, he had raised his son to be the perfect man for the family business. There was no doubt that his son would be able to carry on with the dynasty after he was long gone. Getting up from his expensive leather bound office chair, he began to pace around the large office, his slight but strong body, tensing as his clipped words were uttered out.

"Good. Good. I assume you know what I am about to say to you, ne?"

Heero Yuy nodded in acknowledgement. He knew what was coming all right. It was the same lecture he had received since the day he could think. He knew the words by heart and he was dutifully bound to carry it out.

"You will be going to the same school as…those…" at this point, a look of pure disgust was splashed across the older Yuys face. "Those…Maxwells. They will be sending their son…what's his name again?"

"Duo."

"Ah, yes…Duo. I see you have been doing your homework."

"Yes, father. I have taken into account his strengths and his weaknesses. I have deduced that he is barely a match for me in any or all departments."

Odin could barely contain his excitement. Yes! This was the chance he had been looking for. His boy was going to crush that sissy son of theirs to the ground and would show the whole world once and for all who was the King of The New Economy!

"Brilliant, my boy! If only your mother were here to see you now…"

Heero snorted lightly at the dreamy look that had crossed his father's face and he shifted restlessly in his seat. He wanted to leave already.

"Anyways," Odin continued, his voice lowering to an earnest tone. "I want you to take all the classes he is taking…"

Heero frowned. "All…

&&&&

"…the classes he is taking?!" Duo asked incredulously.

"Of course! How else are you going to show that you are better than him?"

The young man tried to figure out an answer but was quickly interrupted.

"And naturally, you would have to take all of the extra…"

&&&&

"…curricular activities that he dares to participate in."

Heero kept his face as passive as ever, although he did nod in acceptance.

"I don't know about your sleeping quarters. I would have loved for you both to be as far away from each other as possible…"

&&&&

"…but those damned teachers felt they were too big to give me that much personal information. This is the last time I ever donate anything to their sorry asses!"

Duo secretly thanked his lucky stars for that.

"But that's not the point!" David surmised quickly. "The point is…"

&&&&

"…you are to make that sissy boy of theirs bite the dust. To eat your dust. I want you to rub every single victory you claim over him in his face! Got it?!"

"Yes sir."

"I want you to…"

&&&&

"…show him who the boss is! I want him to beg and plead for your mercy after you are through with him! I want them to cower in your presence! Do you understand?!"

"Yes sir."

David grinned in satisfaction and placed his hands upon the slender shoulders again. Although he smiled, the next words that fell out of his mouth was etched with something so cold and menacing that Duo shivered in spite of the warmth in the room.

"And remember the most important thing of all…"

&&&&

Odin Yuy had placed his hands upon the strong shoulders of his own son, his cold blue eyes pinning the Prussian ones before him, his voice as calm and as dangerous as ever.

"…the most important thing of all…"

&&&&

"Never, **ever** fraternize with the enemy!"


	2. Chapter Two

_Disclaimers: I still do not own the Gundam Wing characters…/sighs/ _

_Pairings: Okay…my original intent for this was a 1x2, right? Well, guess what? It seems like this is going to be a 1x2x1, and to make it worse we might have some others as well. So, I have decided to show the pairings for each chapter, as we move along. Don't worry…it is still going to be mainly a 1x2x1 thing._

_Today's Pairing: None…umm…sort of 2+4_

_Warnings: AU and YAOI overtones!_

/glomps each and every reviewer/ You guys rock! Thanks so much for the encouragement! And yes RenegadePhonenix, I made a booboo (hangs head)…it is supposed to be 'violet' not 'violent' and yes, I did make them older in this fic, so I will assume that they would have grown a few inches over the years, ne?-

_And now enough, rambling and on to the show!_

**CHAPTER TWO:**

The Randolph College For Higher Learning was a school for high achievers. It was a school that only the privileged were admitted into. One might call it a form of discrimination, but once you got into the haloed grounds, then you might be able to understand the need for such actions.

Spanning an impressive twenty thousand acre land space, the olde worlde buildings reminiscent of royal palaces in the old days, graced the lavish and impressive surroundings. It was not that far from civilization but yet it gave the residents a sense of peace and serenity. A beautiful lake graced the surrounding countryside and the high peaks of Mount Kipling completed the breathtaking landscape. The surrounding forests were filled with enough game for the various hunting trips that would be taken. There were boats and yachts for those interested in taking those particular kinds of courses. There was the impressive stable, housing over a hundred thoroughbreds, all used for, of course, riding lessons. There were the huge Olympic sized swimming pools, both indoor and outdoor, for swimming lessons. There were tennis courts, basketball courts, cricket fields, football/rugby fields, soccer fields, shooting ranges, archery ranges and the list goes on.

The main building, otherwise known as Randolph Hall, an imposing three-storied building, housed the administrative offices, teachers' offices and the assembly room. The adjacent two-story buildings contained the classrooms. On the right hand side, one would find the science buildings or as they liked to call it, Einstein's Cradle. The dining hall was not that far from the main buildings, this they called The Maynard (named after the famous grand dame of the social circles, Madame de Maynard).

If all of this was set to leave one speechless, then one was yet to visit the quarters of the students. Ah, yes. This was not to be some ordinary dorm room. Unlike most colleges, where one was either required to board with a roommate in less than pleasant conditions (a.k.a one single sized beds and enough room for your feet to barely move), these dorm rooms were like mini-palaces.

Since this was a co-educational school, the dormitories were split into two main buildings; The Browning – for the boys and The Nightingale – for the girls. Each building was as lavish and as decadent as the main Randolph hall itself with the limited capacity for only three hundred students each. Entering the main room of either building, you were welcomed by a 'Resident Adviser', who ushered you through the comfortable lounge (complete with a large theater-like TV, a nearby mini-cafeteria and game room), towards the large grandeur stairs, which led to the sleeping quarters. Each room was designed to fit in one large poster bed, a complete solid oak desk, already outfitted with a computer or laptop and other stationary. A large walk in closet and a couch, which was placed right in front of your very own fireplace. The décor was Victorian in nature, the predominant colors being dark brown for the boys and a light creamy shade for the girls.

The one luxury they could not afford, however, was the use of showers. Alas, there was to be a communal bathroom for all the occupants to share (two to be exact for each floor). Each bathroom was made up about twenty stalls, so there was no need for anyone invading any one else's privacy.

All in all, The Randolph College For Higher Learning was an extraordinary and exciting place.

And in a few more hours, it was bound to get even more exciting.

&&&&

Lord Byron stared out of his ornate yet practical office windows, his hands absentmindedly stroking his white beard in thought. He had been the head proprietor for the College for over thirty years and for the first time in his life; he felt a slight tinge of worry creep up his spine.

The Maxwell and Yuy boys were in his college.

**Together.**

_God help us all. _

He was well schooled on the history of the family rivalry and had watched over the years as both families had withdrawn their children as soon as they had heard either one were going to be admitted. It had been a frustrating and quite frankly nerve-wracking ordeal to go through. Having to listen to phone call after phone call, threats and all what not from various family heads, he had finally had enough. Why, just yesterday David Maxwell had ranted and raved for a good hour over the phone over details on his son's sleeping arrangements and for the first time in his life Jack Byron had lost his patience with the obnoxious man.

He rubbed a hand wearily over his face. Odin Yuy was no better either. The man had gone the extra distance. He had actually come to his office and had demanded that his son be put as far away as possible from the Maxwell bastard. Lord Byron groaned.

This was going to be a long year. And if the boys were anything like their fathers…he was going to retire.

His eyes fell upon the two open folders on his desk.

Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell.

He walked over and picked them up, his kind brown eyes taking in the stoic faced Heero and the smiling Duo.

"I hope you boys know what you are in for," he whispered softly. "I hope you are ready."

"Lord Bryon, sir?"

He jerked his head up and stared at his trusty secretary. "Yes, Mrs. Sims?"

"Heero Yuy has arrived." Her voice had a kind of awe in it and Byron could hardly blame her. When he had briefed his staff on their new arrivals, there had been the general air of disbelief and eagerness. Everyone wanted a piece of the heirs to the greatest dynasties. "Do I send him up to your office, sir?"

He pursed his lips and thought for a few seconds. "Yes, please do send him up here."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, and Mrs. Sims?"

"Sir?"

"When Duo Maxwell arrives, could you have him kept in a place where he would not be seen until I am through with Mr. Yuy? I would like to speak to him as well."

The gray-haired woman stared blankly at her boss. "Uh…okay. As you wish."

She quietly left the office and trudged down the short distance to the motionless figure by the window.

"Mr. Yuy?"

Those calm blue eyes focused their gaze on her. She, unwillingly, felt her face flush at the look. There was something so…dangerous and yet soothing about that gaze. She couldn't quite place a finger on it.

"Yes, Mrs. Sims?"

And his voice too. She had to control herself from stuttering. Goodness, she was old enough to be his grandmother!

"Lord Byron will see you now. Please follow me."

With a curt nod, he motioned for her to lead the way.

&&&&

Duo Maxwell stretched out his legs and yawned for the umpteenth time. Sitting in a limousine for over ten hours was no fun and besides he was getting hungry.

"We are approaching the school grounds, Master Duo."

"Gotcha, Big Bill!"

He rolled down the windows and stuck his head out. He sucked in a huge breath of air, feeling as if he had been deprived for a long time. He stared blankly at the large buildings and well-kept grounds.

_Booooring. _

His eyes did perk up, however, as he eyed another limousine pulling up (actually there were already several such cars lining along the dormitory route). He had spied the shock of blonde hair and had already made up his mind to speak to whoever the girl was.

"Stop the car, Big Bill!"

"Wha…I beg your pardon, Master Duo, but we are not at your dormitory yet. I cannot…"

"Biiiiig Bill…" came the soft cajoling plea.

The older man cursed himself for falling for that same old puppy dog look. His master knew he could never resist that. "Fine, Master Duo, but your father is not going to be happy…"

"Who's gonna tell him? I won't tell, if you won't!"

How many times had Bill heard that? "As you wish, Master Duo."

The heir fairly waited for the car to stop before dashing out and heading towards the blonde. She was stepping out of the car from the other side and for a moment, Duo wondered idly why she was wearing a blazer instead of the customary white button shirt and blue skirts that they were required to wear.

_Maybe she just likes blazers. Hehehehe…my kind of girl… _

Just as he was about to tap her shoulders (noticing that the hair was cut in a strange boyish way), he was quickly blocked by a man that seemed to be about seven feet tall and just as dangerous looking.

"Where do you think you are going?"

Duo swallowed tightly at the warning tone in the man's voice, before a frown quickly filled his visage. He was used to growing up having things done his way and no towering guy was going to stop him.

"You better step aside, sir. I was just going to talk to the girl that's all," he replied calmly.

For a moment, the man looked blank. "Girl?"

Duo wondered if this guy was as dense as he was strong. "Uh huh…the girl you are protecting?"

"You mean, _Master _Quatre?"

Duo felt like he had been pole axed. Master? _Master?!_ No fucking way!

"Is there a problem, Rasheed?"

The blonde in question, otherwise known as Master Quatre, walked up to the now stupefied Duo, a puzzled frown on his face. His dark green eyes took in the chestnut- colored braided boy, before gasping in disbelief.

"Duo Maxwell? _The _Duo Maxwell?! Son of David Maxwell? The owner and cooperate executive of Maxwell Global and Intergalactic Enterprises?"

Duo shifted uncomfortably as Quatre's bellow of excitement carried across the grounds. Now **everyone** was beginning to look at them…and if there was anything that Duo **hated**, it was that awe-inspired look that came unto their visages whenever they heard his name.

"Thanks for the announcement," he muttered harshly, throwing a cold glare at the **girl** he had planned to woo.

Quatre blushed and lowered his face in embarrassment. "I am so sorry. It is just that, everyone has…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Duo cut in rudely. "Look, I gotta get going. I have things to do and people to see, you know?"

"Oh, of course!" The blonde all but gushed, unconsciously following the striding Duo. "I hope we can meet again. I would really love to be your neighbor and friend."

"Uh huh," came the non-committal reply. He was about to make his way back to the limousine, when he made up his mind to walk to the administrative office instead. He needed the fresh air.

"Yo, Big Bill!" He leaned his head into the car and grinned brightly at the worried driver. "I think I will walk to the offices. You can take my stuff to the dorm and I will meet you there in say…an hour. Deal?"

The driver could only sigh. "Yes, Master Duo. In an hour."

"Cool! I owe you one, buddy!"

He sank his hands into his pockets as the black vehicle made its slow maneuver towards the adjacent buildings. He could feel the intense scrutiny from admiring spectators on his back and he all but bolted after the disappearing car. Sighing deeply, he lowered his head and began the fast walk to the offices.

He wished he could be someone else.

&&&&

Mrs. Sims raised her head up from her frantic filing as the slight commotion interrupted her. Giggles and laughter were coming from the waiting room and peeking around the corner, she noticed the cause of the waiting girls' mirth. Leaning against the wall and gesturing like a maniac was none other than…

_Oh, my God! I have to tell Lord Bryon!_

But first, she had to hide him. Heero was bound to come out any second now and her boss did not want the two boys to meet. She had to warn him. She walked briskly towards the locked office doors and knocked tentatively.

"Yes, Mrs. Sims? How may I help you?"

Her worried eyes took in the sight of the boy and man calmly sipping tea. They were perched on the leather couches and had several documents strewn across the coffee desk.

"Umm…Lord Byron…the umm…other…student is here…"

The older man blinked for several seconds before it dawned on him. Trying hard not to panic, he spoke as calmly as he dared. "Thank you, Mrs. Sims. We should be done soon."

"Am I in the way?" Heero asked quietly, already picking himself off the couch. "I believe we have covered the basics, and I am quite capable of handling things from here on my own."

"Oh, of course, Master Yuy!" The headmaster said albeit frantically, rising to his feet as well. "I have no doubt that you will be a great asset to our school."

"Thank you…and now I would like to take my leave…"

"NO!!"

Heero's normally calm eyes, looked a bit surprised at the twin outbursts, it was quickly followed by a frown. "Is there a problem?" he asked coldly, this time with a hint of venom.

"There is no problem, Heero. We just have a few things we would like to clear up with you. If you would follow Mrs. Sims, I am sure she will take you to our other…areas."

Heero stared at the couple. He clearly did not buy their act, but he would play along for now. "As you wish." He began to make his way out the main door, when he was gently nudged towards the opposite end.

"This is a much faster route," Lord Byron said calmly. "You don't want to be stuck with a bunch of other students, do you? That waiting room would be jammed with students and I am sure you would want your privacy."

"I left my laptop there," Heero replied coolly. He didn't like this whole secretive business.

_Hmm…perhaps the Maxwell kid is here,_ he thought ruefully.

Suddenly, a light smirk graced his features and this put a chill through the older man's spine. The smirk had an undeniable trace of malice in it. "Perhaps it will be sent to my quarters later on?"

"Of course, Heero. It will be sent there as soon as possible."

The young man nodded his head curtly, his eyes glancing briefly at the main door. They were trying to keep them apart.

_No matter. We will meet sooner or later, Maxwell.  
_

"Lead the way, Mrs. Sims. Lord Byron, it was a pleasure."Bowing briefly, he followed the obviously relieved female out of the office.

The poor headmaster felt like he had aged in the course of an hour. This whole business was wearing him out. Punching his intercom, he called for his other secretary.

"Miss Bellum! Send in Mr. Maxwell."

"Yes, sir."

He turned the machine off and reached for his bottle of aspirin. Swallowing down a few pills, he waited anxiously for his next student.

&&&&

Duo's eyes kept going towards the flat object on the low coffee table. The initials were undeniable. HY…

_Heero Yuy._

He tried to focus his mind back on the conversation at hand, but those damned initials kept glaring back at him, mocking and taunting. He unconsciously grit his teeth and clenched his fists. It was his entire fault. (Heero's, that is.) He and his goddamned family! He had to be stuck in this school because of some trivial feud that made no sense to him. He had to sacrifice his happiness for some bastard, just to get even.

Unaware of the low growl he had slipped out of his lips, he never noticed the cringe from his adoring audience.

"Duo?" Came a tentative call. "Are you okay?"

He would have laughed if it were possible. Okay? Like hell he was! Couldn't they see? He hated it here! And it was all that…

"Yuy…" he growled out softly.

"Oh, you mean Heero Yuy?" One of the girls said. "He is soooooo hot, isn't he?" This caused another round of laughter before one of them nudged the other with a warning glance. Obviously, Duo Maxwell did not think so.

Those eyes that they had thought to be the sweetest and most beautiful things they had ever seen were now as cold as ice. Those full lips were now planted in a firm line of bitterness and the poor girls wondered if they were the cause of it.

"Sorry, ladies," Duo said curtly as he noticed Miss. Bellum head towards him. "I have a meeting with the headmaster. Talk to you later."

Barely waiting for the woman to announce his name, he made his way towards the office, but not before tucking the offending electronic equipment underneath his arm.

He would be making a personal delivery to Mr. Yuy himself.

**A/N:** I did spend my high school years in a dormitory, but nothing as lavish as this…/cackles evilly/…I wish!. This school is simply put, my dream college (think Hogwarts). Anyways, don't forget to leave your thoughts on it. Much, much appreciated! -


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimers: **All Gundam Wing Characters are owned by their respective owners.

**Warnings:** Hints of shounen-ai, AU and Yaoi (in later chapters).

**Pairings:** Sorta 2+3, 2+4…2+5?

**CHAPTER THREE:**

Each room had been fitted with the names of its inhabitants along with their numbers, making it a bit easier for one to find his quarters. The Browning building was divided into three main floors. The first level housed the freshmen and some sophomores. The second level…sophomores and some juniors and the third level, of course, housed the juniors and seniors. The ground level contained the main lobby/recreation area and mini-cafeteria (where non-alcoholic drinks were served, thank you very much).

Trowa Barton, a junior and resident adviser for the freshmen, eyed his current burden. It seemed a bit surreal to him. He was actually leading the famous Heero Yuy to his quarters. He was to be his mentor. He was the envy of the entire junior and senior officials. Hiding a small smile, he wondered how any one could keep such a straight face at all the admiring glances, whispers and snickers that followed them around. Trowa decided that perhaps the young man was quite used to it by now. Heero had neither waved nor smiled or made any other motion of recognition to those that had tried to make conversation with him. The last words that had been uttered out of his mouth had been a curt 'Good evening' and a 'I would like to be shown to my quarters now.'

Trowa hadn't dared try to make conversation either. He was not exactly Mr. Talkative himself. He preferred to let his actions do the talking for him. Heero's trunks and other items had already been placed in his room, so there was no need for them to wait for other luggage.

They made their way up the spiral stone staircase adorned with pictures of historical figures along side the walls and numerous trophies won by the school in various sporting and artistic endeavors. Trowa was used to the sight. Heero was impressed, although he did not show it.

They finally got to the freshman level, both boys having to step aside as other students tried to find which room belonged to whom. Like everyone else, Trowa knew about the family feud dilemma and was already well prepared for the next question that came out of his otherwise silent companion's lips.

"Who are my neighbors?"

By this time, they had stopped in front of the black and gold solid oak door, complete with the words 'Heero Yuy…Room 105' blazoned on it. Trowa slipped out the electronic card pass that was to activate the doors (no keys in these parts), and passed it through the allotted slot. A light beep and then a green flash signaled the door opening, and with a soft grunt, Trowa ushered his companion inside the semi-lavish quarters.

"On your left is one by the name of Quatre Reberba Winner…" Trowa began, as he made his way towards the drawn curtains to open them up.

_Lucky bastard. He has the view to the lake.  
_

"I want them closed, thank you," Heero interrupted calmly. He had not left his position beside the door. "Is this the Winner that owns the L4 Construction Services?"

Trowa nodded. "On your right, you have Wufei Chang. His father owns several schools for the martial arts around the L5 area. You might have heard of them."

Heero nodded in acknowledgement. He had good companions, but where was…

"And Maxwell?" He asked curtly, his eyes never betraying the slight buzz of something he couldn't quite define at the moment, tingle down his spine.

Trowa hid another smile and made his way out of the room. As he was about to close the door behind him, he replied coolly. "Duo Maxwell is staying right next to me."

With that enigmatic reply, he left the dumbfounded Yuy alone with his thoughts.

&&&&

In all of her fifty plus odd years, Mrs. Sims could safely say that she had finally fallen head over heels for a minor. And this minor happened to have hair that she would die for. She found herself blushing for the one-millionth time as the young man pinned those violet orbs on her visage.

"I am really amazed, Mrs. Sims. That dress really does complement your gorgeous eyes."

She found herself deleting an entire sentence on the screen before her. "Oh, please stop, Master Maxwell. You flatter me too much. You really do. I am not that…that beautiful at all…"

"Oh, but you are!" Duo responded vehemently as if the poor woman had said the worst thing of the century. "You could be a model for one of those older magazines or something."

Mrs. Sims wasn't sure if that was an insult or not. Her musing on that sentence was cut short as the knock on the door broke the comfortable silence. She snapped her head around to take in the tall and slender young boy that had walked into the room. His light brown hair (which she could still never figure out) successfully cascaded down the left side of his face, effectively hiding one of those startling, dark green eyes.

"Hello, Mrs. Sims," came the cool greeting. "I am here to pick up Mr. Maxwell."

"Of course, Barton," she chirped happily, although she was a bit sad at losing her enjoyable companion. "He is all yours."

"Thank you." Trowa turned his gaze upon the figure of his second charge. He found himself tightening his already folded arms against his rebellious body. He had seen pictures of Duo before, after all they were usually splashed across the socialite magazines, but never had he thought that meeting him up close was going to cause such a reaction within him.

The boy was simply…_breathtaking,_ and he wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through that thick chestnut mane.

Composing himself, he coughed self-consciously and motioned for Duo to follow him. He watched, almost spellbound, at the smile that came upon the heart-shaped face. By this time, Duo had taken Mrs. Sims' hands and was currently placing a light kiss on them.

"Adios, Mrs. Sims. We shall meet again!" And with a small bow, he followed the older boy.

Mrs. Sims was still in a daze at the feather light kiss she had received, her face a brilliant shade of red. She never heard the call until it came right next to her ear.

"Mrs. Sims!!"

"Oh, dear!" She jumped up, startled at the loud cry. "I am so sorry, Miss Bellum…what can I do for you?"

The younger secretary raised her eyebrows at the flushed look on the other's face and she smirked softly. "Still can't get over that Maxwell fella, huh? Anyways, you wouldn't happen to have seen Master Yuy's laptop now, would you? He said he left it in the main lobby and we have searched everywhere for it. Any ideas?"

Mrs. Sims frowned. Yes, Heero had said he had left his laptop there. Odd, there had never been a case of theft in their school before, at least not on opening day. This was highly unusual.

"Are you sure you checked everywhere?"

Miss Bellum sighed. "Yes, we have. It seems to have vanished and Yuy has been calling us for the past hour now. If I have to listen to that voice reprimand me over the phone again, I will go insane."

"Oh, dear. I better tell Lord Byron about this then. This is not going to be good."

&&&&

Heero slammed the phone down and paced around his room like a caged animal. He needed his laptop. He glanced at the one already provided for him and grimaced. That would never do. He needed his trusty old companion. He was almost…_powerless_ without it.

What was taking them so long? He had been calling for the past hour and all he had gotten was the same old 'We are trying our best, Master Yuy.' How in Kami's name had his laptop disappeared? Who would want to keep or steal it away from him? Who would want to…?

He froze in his tracks, his eyes widening as a sudden thought crept in.

_That fool…I bet he took it! Who else would? _

But then again…why would he take it? Duo couldn't possibly know that his laptop was his one weakness. Nobody knew that. Gritting his teeth, he stalked towards the desk and switched on the PC.

First things first, for right now he had to hack into the school files to find out what classes Mr. Maxwell had registered for. He was about to become his shadow for the next few months.

&&&&

Unlike Heero, Trowa found himself liking Duo's attitude. And who the hell wouldn't? The guy was like an extra bundle of energy just waiting to be let out. He was cordial to those who had recognized him, although Trowa had noticed the way his body tensed up whenever he **was indeed** recognized. Duo's curiosity was infectious and he found himself answering all the questions about the building and history of the school, whenever he was asked. Trowa hadn't talked this much before and quite frankly his jaws were aching from the extra effort.

He prayed and hoped that Heero wouldn't open his door at that moment. His heart nearly stopped as a door suddenly burst open…only to have the young man named Wufei bound out of the room like the devil was on his tail.

"Are you the resident adviser?!"

Duo and Trowa stared in mild shock at the harassed-looking being in front of them. "Dude…what's the problem?" Duo asked, his mind already registering that despite the haggard look, the boy was sort of nice-looking. With jet black hair neatly tied in a small ponytail and eyes of darkest night set in the round pale face, he was quite the looker.

_Whoa! I am already checking out guys…hmm…probably thanks to that Quatre fella today. I almost asked him out for a date! I need to find a girl and fast!  
_  
"My name is Wufei Chang," came the sharp retort. "Not _dude _and if you are indeed the resident adviser, I would like to borrow you for a few minutes."

Trowa nodded. "What seems to be the problem?"

Wufei flushed in slight embarrassment. "Umm…I cannot seem to get my fireplace going…"

He glared at the snicker from Duo and tried to make a grab for him. Trowa unconsciously found himself blocking Wufei's intended blow. "That will do, Wufei. Let's go take a look at it. Duo…"

"Hey, don't worry about me, buddy!" Duo replied cheerfully. "I will just keep on going and search for my own room, okay?"

Trowa frowned. He didn't like the idea of Duo wandering around the hallways. Heero just might…

"Fine. But make sure you head straight for the end of the hallway, and then make a left. My room is the one with the cream colored door, yours is right next to it. Understood? Here is your room pass."

"Gotcha!" Duo saluted smartly, before winking at the fuming Wufei. "See ya around, Wufei! Nice meeting you!"

A mumbled 'pleasure' was his reply and he chuckled lightly, watching as the door closed softly before him. Tucking the laptop securely beneath his blazer, his lips tightened again and he began walking down the carpeted hallway. He walked slowly, his eyes taking in the names on each door.

Room 100 – Ross Howard. Room 101 – Donald Rockefeller. Room 102 – Michael William Smith, Room 103 – Damian Sutherland, Room 104 – Wufei Chang, Room 105 – Heero Yuy.

_Bingo! _

He stood in front of the door unmoving, his eyes drinking in the gold-plated name. His nemesis. His tormentor, although he didn't know it yet. Smirking devilishly, he whipped out a pen and small notepad from his pocket and balancing the precious laptop across his knees, he began to scribble down some words.

_I have to make it all sinister like…to let him know I mean business…hmm…how about…_

"I have your laptop, you son of a bitch…come and get it…?" He whispered to himself, his tongue sticking out of his mouth as he concentrated on getting it just right.

_Naah, too soft. I have to make it **really **sinister._

"You good-for-nothing SOB. I will make you pay for…for what exactly?"

He scratched that out and tried again.

"If you want to see your laptop again…"

"Hi there! So we meet again!"

Duo jumped up at the loud voice (well, loud to him, since he was so focused on his death threats) and spinning around, he shot an irritated glare at the blond boy. "Good grief! Could you keep it down?! I am trying to do something here!"

Quatre looked sheepish and apologized. "I am so sorry…may I call you Duo? I am so sorry, Duo. I did not mean to interrupt your musings. What are you doing anyway?"

"Nothing important. Just jotting down some ideas."

"Oh, really? Are you a writer? Or…"

Duo interrupted sharply. "Yeah! That's it, I am just your regular old writer and now if you don't mind…I have something very important to do."

Quatre somehow did not get it. "This is Heero Yuy's room. You would not believe my shock and surprise when I found out that I would be staying right next to him. I was so…"

"I bet you were," Duo muttered out softly.

Finally, it sunk into Quatre's head. "Oh, gosh! I forgot all about the…family feud…thing…"

"Is that a plate of cookies I see?" Duo interrupted again, as his eyes fell upon the sinful chocolate treats that he had spied in the other boy's room. "Man! I am starved! Let's go eat!" Hardly giving Quatre any chance to say something, he yanked on his arm and pulled them into the room, shutting the door firmly behind them.

Seconds later, a very pissed off Heero stuck his head out of his room. The commotion behind his door had woken him out of his restless doze and now he had come out to find no one in front of it.

_Stupid morons! I can't seem to get any peace around here._

And with a low growl of annoyance, he slammed the door shut again.

The door to Quatre's room opened, revealing a cookie-carrying Duo (who had a few stuffed into his mouth at the moment) and a grinning Quatre in tow.

"So, do you need me to escort you to your room?" Quatre asked a bit too hopefully. He hoped that his admiration and worship of the elfin beauty before him wasn't too evident. He would hate to squick the other boy out with his behavior.

Duo nodded absentmindedly. "Ees uookoees aff greff!" (Translation: These cookies are great!) He swallowed. "Who made them?"

Quatre blushed and shuffled his feet. "Umm…I did. I bake sometimes…"

"No kidding," Duo gushed, his earlier threats of leaving a scathing message for the boy next door now out the window. "I wish I could cook…the maids and servants do that for me. You know something, Q-man?"

"No Duo, what?" Quatre asked, trying hard to ignore the warmth that flowed through him at the nickname.

"You and I could be really good friends," Duo replied lightly, throwing an arm around the other boy's shoulders and quite unaware of the effect it was having on the red-faced blond. He began leading them towards his own room all the while chitchatting away like a maniac.

Quatre secretly made up his mind to bake a whole load of cookies next time…just for Duo.

&&&&

Heero rubbed a weary hand over his eyes before trudging wearily back to the computer. So much for sleep. Hacking into the school system was turning out to be a pain in the butt, but being the determined guy he was, he was stone set on figuring it out at all cost.

Now clad in a dark blue tank-top and light stonewashed jeans, he brushed away the stubborn strands of hair from his face, and with his eyes focused on the blinking screen in front of him, he gave it one last try.

Half an hour and several cans of Coke later, a soft cry of 'Yes!' was heard from the otherwise silent room. Finally, he had cracked the damned code.

"Opening files for Duo Maxwell…" he whispered to himself. "Hmm…"

The smiling picture of the future heir of the Maxwell Corporation glared back at him. He frowned as he took in the long chestnut colored bangs that framed the (this took a lot out of him to admit) beautiful face. Violet eyes stared back at him in mockery, those full lips parted slightly in a trace of a smile. Heero found himself wondering how Duo would look when angry, or excited or really, really happy, or…

He slammed the brakes on where his thoughts were heading.

Cursing himself for getting distracted so easily, he clicked on the icon that said 'Courses.'

_Please don't let him have the really stupid classes._

The list scrolled before his eyes, his lips mouthing each word out. "Advanced Calculus….check. English and Literature…check. Biology and Chemistry…check. Psychology??…damn it!…check. The history of the Renaissance…check. Horse Riding…of all the sissy sports…check. Swimming…check. Home Economics???…what the hell is he thinking?!…god help me…check. Basketball…go figure…check. The Economies of Interplanetary Alliances??…hmm…check. Drama?" At this point, Heero all but banged his head against his keyboard. No way in hell was he taking drama!

_// I want you to take all the classes he is taking. ALL_ _of them. //_

And with a heavy sigh…

"Drama…stupid course…check. New records for Heero Yuy…registration of classes…no problem."

With several more clicks and a few typed words, the hacker and all around good guy leaned back in his swivel chair with a smug look of satisfaction on his face. All that was left was to find the idiot's room and then…

He couldn't wait for classes to begin tomorrow.

&&&&

Duo lay with only his black boxers on across the queen-sized bed, his violet eyes roaming across the intricate designs on the canopy above him. For today, the students would not have to adhere to any rules. Odd, in normal colleges they didn't have curfews…he was in high school all over again. Quatre had stayed for a while, helping him unpack when Trowa had stuck his head in several minutes later asking if anyone was coming for dinner. Both had declined, being too excited about it being their first night in college and all, and besides the cookies had filled him up somehow.

He had found himself enjoying the blond's company. Quatre had lots of stories to tell about his native Arabian people and both teens had spent the last few minutes rummaging through Duo's extensive stash of CDs. To his amusement, Quatre liked music very much and Duo was pleased to see that some of his musical tastes were met with high approval. All in all, he had found a good friend on his first day.

He sat up quickly as he heard the tentative knock on his door. Jumping off the bed and not bothering to dress up properly, he yanked it open and came face-to-face with his mentor.

"Hiya, Trowa. What's up?"

Trowa tried hard not to look at the well-toned chest and strong legs before him. Trying to keep his rapid heart rate under control and his voice as well, he answered coolly.

"I just came to remind you that you are to wake up very early tomorrow, and since the showers are quite some distance from here, you may use my own bathroom whenever you like. Just make sure you knock to let me know."

"Gosh, thanks for the offer," Duo replied, his eyes brightening with relief. He had wondered how he was going to keep dancing up and down the long hallway to the other end with only a towel on. This made things so much easier. "I really do appreciate it."

"No problem. Oh and Duo…"

"Yeah?"

"Try to keep your door locked, okay?"

"Uh…sure…whatever you say. See ya, tomorrow!"

Trowa nodded in response before making his way back into his room. Duo shut and locked his door and then flopped back on his bed.

Trowa was pretty cool too. Too quiet…but cool.

Sighing loudly, he rolled onto his stomach and faced the still unopened black object with the glaring silver initials on it.

Thoughts of his earlier activities with Quatre and Trowa flew out the window, as his hands traced the italics. His lips mouthed the name softly, over and over again.

"Heero Yuy…you drive me insane and I don't even know you…yet. But no matter, we shall finally meet tomorrow, ne? Face-to-face, man-to-man. Can't wait, buddy. I just can't wait."

And with a smug smirk upon his visage, he pushed the laptop to the floor and curling himself into a fetal position, he closed his eyes in welcome sleep.


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimers: Do not own the Gundam Characters. Those belong to their respective owners.

Warnings: AU, OOC, Shounen ai and Yaoi (in later chapters)

Pairings (In this chapter): 4+2+5, 2+R (had to put her in sooner or later )

**CHAPTER FOUR:**

"Damn, stupid door…"

"Morning to you, Wufei!"

Wufei Chang almost bumped his head against his door at the exuberant slap on his back. Snarling and spinning around, he grabbed a fistful of a pristine white shirt and shoved the guilty party against the wall.

"Don't you ever startle me like that again, Maxwell! Or I swear you will be wiping your carcass off this floor!"

"How would I do that? I would be dead already, wouldn't I?"

Wufei twitched in annoyance and with a snort, deciding that Duo wasn't worth his time at the moment; he let go of the shirt and focused his attention back to getting his door shut. The stupid card pass wouldn't lock it!

"Got a problem there, buddy?" Duo asked brightly, although he frowned at the new wrinkle on his shirt. It had taken him some time to get the creases just right. "Need some help?"

"No thanks…" Wufei bit out in frustration. "I got it."

SNAP!

Both boys stared at the broken piece of plastic. "Well…looks like you obviously 'don't got it', right?" Duo said, smirking before ducking from the blow that was clearly meant for him. Dancing out of reach, he laughed and placed his hands in front of him, as if trying to ward off the other boy's advancement.

"Cool it, Wuffy…" That got him another death glare and Duo nearly pissed himself in laughter. The guy's expressions were priceless. "Okay, okay. I will stop now. I'll just go get Captain Trowa over here for ya, okay?"

"Gee…would you really, Maxwell? Thanks a lot!"

The sarcasm was not lost on Duo, although he chose to downplay it. "No problem, Wu-chan! Duo Maxwell to the rescue!"

With a mock salute, he headed back for his quarters. He guessed Trowa would still be in his room.

Quatre opened his door and shouldered his backpack carefully. He could have sworn he had heard Duo's voice and he was disappointed to find him nowhere in sight. Many of the students were beginning to make their way towards The Maynard and Quatre had been hoping he and Duo might have gone together. He jerked alert, however, as his neighbor's door opened.

He found himself swallowing tightly and gripping the straps of his black bag as he took in the boy that was now in the process of locking his door. The blue blazer and khaki pants fitted a well-built body to a T, and Quatre found himself blushing as those Prussian depths turned around to face him.

"Umm…hel…hello," he muttered softly, his feet shifting uncomfortably at the penetrating glance. "I'm Quatre…and you are, of course, Heero. Umm…nice to meet you."

Heero nodded and replied with a quiet 'pleasure', his eyes already beginning to make their way down the bustling hallway. Students were pouring out of their rooms, doors banging and opening, laughter and conversation swirling around…just your typical Monday morning.

Where was Maxwell?

He shouldered his own backpack and turned his gaze back to the blond boy. Quatre felt like he had to say something. "I…I…was just heading for The Maynard…"

"Hn." Heero nodded again and turned to his left. Wufei was now leaning against his doorway, a look of irritation and resignation on his face. He turned, however, as he noticed the intense stare on him.

"What?!" he asked snappishly. He was quite aware of whom his stoic neighbor was, but he had no intentions of sucking up to anyone.

And where the hell was that Maxwell fellow?!

Heero remained as inert as ever and nodding once again to Quatre, he made his way down the stairs. Quatre finally released the pent up breath he had been holding. Goodness, hanging around Heero was like a torture session for him.

Where was…

"Here I am!" came the happy cry that received both looks of happiness (Quatre) and acquiescence (Wufei). "Sorry it took me so long. Trowa had to figure out a new one for you."

Wufei snatched the card with a muttered 'thanks' and this time he made sure he got the blasted thing through.

"Duo!" Quatre all but pounced on him. "I was waiting for you."

Duo threw an arm across the boy's shoulders and crushed him to his side. "Really?!" he gushed in mock disbelief. "My word, Q-man! If I had known you would miss me this much, I would have slept with you all night!"

Quatre sputtered and had to lower his reddened face in embarrassment, while Wufei snorted and grabbed his dark blue backpack. "You are pathetic, Maxwell," he chided as the trio followed the noisy throng of students towards the cafeteria.

"I love you too, Wuffles, oh and by the way, the name is Duo."

&&&&

The line leading to the breakfast buffet seemed to last forever, and Duo was beginning to feel faint. Aside from the cookies last night, he had practically had nothing to eat for over twelve hours.

"Suck it up, Maxwell," Wufei said slyly, noticing the pained expression on the other's face. "A big man like you fainting due to lack of food….tsk…the horror."

"Shut up, Wu-man," he snapped, knowing that _this_ particular nickname was bound to get the Chinese boy's hackles up.

"The name is…" Wufei began through clenched teeth when he was suddenly interrupted.

"Finally!"

Duo grabbed a tray and made his way towards the succulent offerings.

_Hmm…some waffles…about four of those. Can't forget the syrup! I think I will take ten packets of those. Sausages…whee! And some biscuits and some eggs and some cereal and oops! Can't forget the milk and sugar._

He was quite happily unaware of the glances he was beginning to receive as he piled up his tray with food. Even Wufei was impressed.

Duo needed the final touch, the one thing that always made his breakfast complete. It was an addiction he knew, but without this item he was nothing for the rest of the day.

_Aha!_

There it was. One single lonely blueberry muffin just waiting for him to pick it up. He grit his teeth as the line moved even slower. Wouldn't they ever hurry up?!

_Oh, please, oh God! Oh, please, oh God! Don't let anyone take it! _

"Yes!" he whispered in triumph.

He had finally reached it and just as he was about to stretch his hands to get it…

_Almost there…just a little bit more. _

"What the…?!!"

…the muffin was gone.

Frantic violet eyes stared at the blank spot for several seconds, blinking in quiet disbelief, before raising them to the bastard that had dared touch the luscious offering. Whoever it was, stood at the opposite side of the buffet table and as Duo's eyes took in the visible khaki pants and tray laden with…healthier stuff and _his_ muffin…up to the blue blazer that covered strong shoulders, the corded neck, a smooth but strong jaw to the full lips, now twisted into a smirk of satisfaction, up to the straight nose and finally into taunting blue eyes that dared him to start an argument.

Duo Maxwell felt his blood run cold.

His hands gripped the edges of his tray, his knuckles almost turning white with the intense pressure. Everything and everyone else seemed to dissolve into oblivion.

Heero _fucking_ Yuy.

He was here! The God-damned bastard was in his face! And he had dared to take the last muffin! HIS muffin!

"I was reaching for that." He was quite surprised at how calm and steady his voice was. But he was angry, oh boy…was he angry.

Heero lips quirked into a broader smirk as he stared at the blazing purple depths before him. "You mean this?" he asked softly, his hands now cradling the treat within their grasp. "This muffin?"

Duo growled at the action. He could feel his tray snapping beneath the amount of pressure he was putting on it.

"Listen, _pal_…" he began coldly. "I don't want to stand here in line and …"

"HEY! MOVE IT, BUDDY! YOU ARE HOLDING UP THE LINE!"

"I WILL MOVE WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT, GODDAMMIT!" Duo yelled back to whomever had screamed, his eyes never leaving the cold blue ones before him.

"What's the matter, Duo?" Quatre asked in bemusement as he walked back to stand beside him. He had long gotten a table for them and had been waiting for Duo to join both he and Wufei.

When he got no response, he finally turned to see what had engaged the other boy's attention. He groaned weakly. _Oh, no!_

"Umm…Duo…can we go now? Can't you guys fight about this later on? You are holding up the line…"

"Not till he gives me back what is mine, I won't!" Duo spat out, his eyes still not leaving Heero's.

"Exactly," Heero replied calmly.

Duo blinked. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"You know exactly what I mean," Heero grit out through clenched teeth, his own eyes now blazing with growing fury. "You have my laptop and I want it back!"

Quatre and now a growing audience stared at the two boys in disbelief and frank curiosity. The fights were already happening. Someone call security!

Several tense minutes passed as each boy tried to retain the hand in the staring duel. The tension was so thick; that Quatre could have sworn he saw electrical sparks flare up in the air between them.

And all because of a muffin.

Finally, Duo smirked and raised himself to his full height. "Hmph. I don't think so, buddy. You can have the damned muffin. I think I will just keep the laptop to myself…since it _means so much to you_. Come on, Q-man, let's go!"

Heero nearly popped a blood vessel. He couldn't believe it! He had lost…twice! Duo had the upper edge on him and he did not like it one bit. First his laptop was confiscated (and his accusation had been purely on a whim, and now that he knew Duo had possession of his beloved computer, he wanted to strangle someone…probably with that damned braid of his), and now…the muffin war had ended with him looking like a fool! He snarled as he watched Duo prance away with a worried-looking Quatre and a smug-looking Wufei in tow.

"Damn you, Maxwell. This isn't over yet," Heero muttered to himself, before making his way to his reserved table.

As for the crowd, they groaned in disappointment. They had really wanted to see someone's ass kicked.

&&&&

Duo was trembling.

Never before had he felt like murdering someone in his life, but for a few short and tension filled moments, he was _that _close. He chewed absentmindedly at something from his plate, his eyes unwilling to practice proper decorum, shifting every other minute towards the silent figure a few yards away from him. The muffin was still untouched on Heero's plate and Duo had no doubt in his mind that the bastard had taken it just to get him angry.

_Well, he chose to mess with the wrong guy. Nobody messes with me.  
_  
"You can have mine if you like."

The three boys snapped their head up as they turned towards the light voice. Duo took in the tall, willowy figure dressed in the customary white shirt and blue skirt. The long brown hair flowed down her back, although two braids flanked the sides of her hair. Her eyes were blue and her mouth curved into a small smile. She was presently handing her own muffin to Duo, who was still gaping at her in disbelief.

"Relena? I didn't know you were going to be in this school!"

Light laughter burst out from her mouth and she tossed her hair flippantly over her shoulders. "Of course, silly. Your mother says I ought to keep an eye on you."

"My mother…??"

"Who is she?" Quatre asked coldly. He didn't quite like the way Relena was looking at Duo, and his usual cheerful features were etched in a slight frown.

"My name is Relena Peacecraft and Duo is my boyfriend." And with that curt announcement, she made herself comfortable on a spare chair…right next to her boyfriend, blissfully unaware of the three stupefied glances that came her way. "Here you go. You can have my muffin."

Duo hissed into her ear. "Relena! Why did you have to say that?! I am not your boyfriend!" His gaze fell upon an amused-looking Wufei and a rather pale Quatre. "You okay, Q-man?"

Quatre raised dull eyes to Duo and responded in a shaky voice. "Uh…yeah…I am fine. I just have to…to…"

He got off the table and dashed towards the restrooms, leaving his audience confused.

"Has everyone gone mad today?" Wufei asked in irritation. "First, you and your stupid argument over that muffin with that Yuy fellow and now you are about to be married and now Quatre is getting sick over breakfast. You are all strange. Thank goodness I am done with breakfast. See you at the assembly."

Duo would have loved nothing more than to leave with Wufei, but Relena was still chatting away about her dorm and her friends…and naturally, he heard nothing.

The Peacecrafts and Maxwells had those kinds of family relationships that were based solely on business prosperity. Good partners in every way possible, the two families had sought for ways to keep their relationship even stronger. Hence, the 'pairing' of Relena and Duo. Since the day they were born, both had been 'betrothed' to one another. They had gone to each other's birthdays and Christmas dinners and Thanksgivings and all what nots. They had been in every school together. They had spent vacations together.

In short, Relena was like a sister to him, and the brown-haired girl felt exactly the same way. But for the benefit of their parents, they had decided to play the matchmaking game. Left to Relena, she would have rather dated some other person, Duo was just a side dish to her.

Duo's eyes darted again towards the other boy. Heero had stood up and was now making his way towards the trashcans. To Duo's immense annoyance, the damned muffin still hadn't been eaten and it looked like Mr. Smart Ass was just about to chuck it right into the garbage.

_Damn him…damn him…DAMN HIM._

As if on some strange cue, Heero, suddenly, turned to face him, his tray inches from throwing away the precious sweet. Their eyes met and locked in a fierce battle of wills. Duo gripped his knife tightly within his grasp and an unconscious gasp spilled out of his lips as he finally tore his eyes away to watch the dessert fall down the plastic chute. His eyes flew back to the smug look on his counterpart's face and in that instant Duo would have gladly punched his lights out. If only…

"Duo…I think the bell just rang or something. It's time for assembly!"

He allowed himself to be dragged to his feet, his eyes never leaving Heero, who by this time was already making his way towards Randolph Hall like everyone else. It wasn't till he spied the shock of blonde hair, did he finally tear his eyes away. Quatre had now moved to his right side, since Relena had a death grip on his left arm.

"You sure you are alright, Quatre?" Duo asked in genuine concern. The blond did look kind of sick.

Quatre managed a small smile and tried to reassure the other boy. "I am fine, Duo. I will be just fine."

&&&&

Heero Yuy looked at his schedule of classes in dismay. Aside from history and advanced calculus, he could care less about the other crap he was forced to take. He barely registered the pushing and shoving that most of the students were doing to him, his mind too focused on the printed sheet before him.

He ought to kill Maxwell. They had Home Economics first.

Sighing deeply, he tucked the paper within the inner pockets of his blazer and sinking his hands into his pockets, he lowered his head and slowly followed the laughing crowd of students towards the Domestic Science Halls.

He had finally met Duo, not in the way he would have liked, but still…it had been a strange experience. He had noticed Duo come into the breakfast room with his friends in tow and he had been a bit puzzled at the pang of…(he refused to acknowledge it as jealousy)…something, at the adoring looks he had received from many of the students in there. There was no doubt about it, Duo Maxwell oozed charm and confidence, while he was nothing more than a stump. He might have been rich and famous, but compared to his rival, he might as well have been a non-entity.

He still did not understand why he had taken the muffin anyway. He hated them, but he had noticed Duo eyeing the dessert and his first instincts had been to take the damn thing. He had wanted Duo to notice him and well…he had succeeded. He found himself stuffing his hands deeper into his pockets as memories of those violet purple depths blazing with fury at him, filled his mind.

_Well, Heero…you wanted to find out what he would look like when angry…I guess you got your wish._

And did he ever. A small smile came to his face as he made the turn towards Classroom 2034B. He so wanted to see those eyes blaze at him again.

&&&&

"Alright, class! Take your seats! Find a comfortable position for yourselves…that will be your permanent seating position for the rest of the semester."

Heero eyed the large but cozy-looking room. Aside from the main desks and chairs, there were doors that led to 'Kitchens', 'Washing', 'Gardening', 'Money Management', and to his despair, 'Maternity'. He didn't even want to think about that one right now. There were about twenty students in the class, mostly girls and Heero had the nasty feeling that Duo had registered for this class for that sole purpose. He seated himself at the next to the last row, right next to the window. He eyed the room again…no sign of Maxwell yet…

"Is everyone here?" The robust woman, Mrs. Gills, asked aloud. She pushed her glasses to her eyes and counted heads. "I will call out the roll, so if anyone that is not supposed to be here and all of that…you know the drill. Okay…lemme see, Amanda Brown…"

Heero tuned out the shrill voice. Maxwell wasn't here yet. There was an empty seat…and it was right next to…

"Sorry I'm late. I had to take one of my friends to the sick room."

Mrs. Gills raised her head up and stared at the smiling boy. "That's okay, Maxwell. This is your first day, just try not to be late again. Hmm, ahh there is an empty seat! You can fix yourself right next to Mr. Yuy."

"I would rather not."

The entire class and a blank-looking Gills, stared at the now stoic-faced boy in disbelief. "But that is the only seat left, Mr. Maxwell. It is not my fault you came late to class."

Duo cursed Relena, inwardly, for making him late. She and her stupid toilette.

He tightened his hands on his strap and stole a quick glance at the seating companion in question. To his amazement and irritation, he could see that Heero was taunting him. Those Prussian blue eyes practically laughed at him. Actually daring Duo to sit by him.

Duo was never known for chickening out of a dare.

Quirking an eyebrow, signifying that he had indeed accepted the challenge, he broke out into a sunny grin. This, in turn, seemed to perplex Heero, for the smirk was replaced with a small frown. He watched as Duo apologized to the class before making his way towards him. Heero was angry to find himself reacting strangely towards the approaching boy. Although there was a smile on that heart-shaped face, it didn't quite reach his eyes. The violet depths had a sparkle that was anything but sweet.

In those depths, Heero saw a deadly foe and he suddenly wondered how he was to make it through this school year without losing his inhibition.


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimers:** Do not own the Gundam Wing Characters

**Warnings:** AU, OOC, Shounen ai and Yaoi (in later chapters)

**Today's Pairings:** 2+R, 4+2, 2+1+2 --;;

**CHAPTER FIVE:**

Somewhere off the coast of the Islands, on an exotic and not to mention exclusive golf-club, the great David Maxwell could be seen sending his golf ball straight into another bunker, hence creating another string of colorful words to erupt from his mouth. His score was now a whopping twelve over par and he hadn't even gotten to the back nine yet. Grumbling beneath his breath, he stomped off in search of his golf ball, never minding that his caddy was huffing for breath behind him.

"Any word from my son, yet?" he asked, his voice sounding muffled as he was currently stuck somewhere within some nearby bushes. Apparently, his ball wasn't in the bunker after all.

The caddy (aka his trusty old secretary) wiped the sweat from his brow and fixed his glasses back upon his nose. "Uh…no sir, no word from Master Duo, yet."

Another muttered curse and a 'goddammit' erupted from the shrubs, before the agitated voice continued. "Shouldn't he be in school by now? How come he hasn't called me, yet?"

"I don't know…"

David stuck his head out of the bushes, his golf hat now askew on his head coupled with several twigs and leaves stuck within his brown locks. His face was now reddened either in exertion or anger, the secretary could not tell. "You don't think he has been defeated by the enemy now, do you?" He asked with a sense of panic.

The caddy looked blank for several minutes, before it slowly dawned on him. "Oh…the enemy…I strongly doubt that, sir. Master Duo can handle anything that comes his way…"

"Damn straight he can!" David bellowed out in agreement, before giving a loud whoop of excitement. He had found his ball! Jumping out of the bushes, he carefully fixed his ball on the green and got ready to make the crucial putt. Just as he was about to hit the white ball into the hole, the shrill ring of his cell phone caused him to stamp his feet in anger.

"Answer the damn thing! And if it is someone from the office, fire his ass! I told no one to disturb me in the middle of my golf game!!"

"Yes…yes, sir."

David got back to concentrating, his handsome face furrowed in a frown. He had to make this putt. Everything was riding on this…

"Sir, it is the vice-president of the Oil division…he wants to know if he should go ahead and finalize the deal for the takeover of the Moldova Corporation."

David hit the ball and watched as it slowly trickled to about five feet past its intended target. Growling in frustration, he snapped his putter in two and began making his way to the next hole.

"Let him go ahead and buy the entire damn business!" he bit out angrily. "And if anyone dares protest…FIRE THEM!!"

&&&&&

Odin Yuy was faring no better. He loved golf as well, but instead of playing it in the great outdoors, he preferred to do his scoring virtually.

And right now, he was losing pretty badly.

He punched the buttons on the control panel with more force than necessary and had to watch in dismay as his ball flew into another lake.

"Damn stupid game! Who needs golf anyways?! I hate golf!!! I hate the whole stinking business! Okay, let's try this one more time…"

The door to his game room opened to reveal the face of his assistant (he didn't like to call them secretaries…he considered that too old fashioned). And without turning his eyes away from the gigantic screen in front of him, Odin asked curtly, "Has my son called yet?"

"No, sir. We have not received any phone calls from Master Heero."

Odin frowned. That was unlike his son. Ever since he had begun sending the boy to boarding schools, he had drilled the lesson of 'make sure you give your daddy a call to let him know of your progress on the first day of school' routine. He snorted. Maybe this whole college thing was getting to his head. Maybe he felt he was too big to give daddy a call anymore. Or maybe…

"You don't suppose the enemy has silenced him now, do you?" He asked, his dark eyes glinting with a hint of worry.

"Silenced him, sir?" The assistant asked in bemusement as he walked into the room. "I don't think that killing is allowed in colleges, sir."

Odin made a sound of exasperation, before the flash of 'YOUR BALL IS IN THE DINK…TOTAL SCORE…20 OVER PAR…GAME OVER', glared at him. In another second, the control panel was flung across the room, and a very angry Yuy was storming over to the bar to fix himself a strong drink.

The assistant swallowed tightly as the apparatus almost took his head off. "Umm…sir, I actually came to ask you if you wanted me to go ahead in the finalization of the takeover."

Odin downed his scotch and stared at the man as if he had asked the most ridiculous question in the world. "Of course! What the hell was that meeting for yesterday?! I want all their stocks and portfolios under the Yuy Corporation by tomorrow morning, is that understood?!"

"Yes, sir. Understood, sir."

Odin watched with furious eyes as the man shut the door softly behind him, before turning those same eyes towards the large screen. "All right…let's try this one more time, shall we?"

&&&&

_HOSTILE TAKEOVERS:_

Professor Treize Khushrenada dropped his piece of chalk and turned around to stare at his new crop of students for the semester. A leading expert in The Economies of Interplanetary Alliances, he was quick to spot out the potential business entrepreneurs in each of his classes. He had only ten students and that was enough for him. In fact, he would take no more than ten. He was that meticulous. He believed in one-on-one association and interaction. He did not tolerate slouches and he expected the best from each of them. Most of his students were made up of boys. In fact, he could count the number of females that he had taught over the past fifteen years on one hand. This semester was no exception. Out of the ten students, he had only one girl. And naturally, she had chosen the front desk for herself.

His classroom (if you would call it a classroom) was designed to look like several offices placed into the large room. Each student was outfitted with large solid oak desks, complete with laptops, the latest edition of the business papers from each colony, textbooks, stationary, paper shredders and of course their own leather swivel chairs. These were arranged in such a way that there were two rows of five desks each, leaving enough space between students to prevent private interactions. He loved this room.

He eyed the seating arrangements. He hadn't assigned any to the students. He believed in that age-old motto, first come, first serve. Occupying the two front desks were the girl…Julie Wood, he believed…yes, that was her name, and then next to her was Duo Maxwell. (He had been a bit surprised to see the boy arrive that early to his class). Right behind them, Quatre R. Winner and Wufei Chang and behind them…Heero Yuy and Rahim Ahmed. He knew that having children from wealthy families was to be expected, but to have this much power in one room, he almost felt giddy with excitement.

"I believe that many of you are aware of the topic for today," he began quietly, his ice blue eyes taking in each curious look on their faces. "Hostile takeovers…something many of our fathers or mothers can be accused of, correct?"

He received only blank looks in return.

Shrugging good-naturedly, he picked up one of the business papers. "I would like you all to open up the L1 Colony Cluster Economic Times, please, to section 2A." He waited for the class to settle down as the noise of papers rustling filled his ears. "Good. Now as you can see, the news for today says that…would you do the honors, Master Ahmed?"

Duo's eyes blurred at the news in front of him as Ahmed read out the story. It was the same damn thing again. Apparently, Maxwell Oil Industries had just taken over several other smaller businesses in the area.

"….all stocks and shares have now been seized by David Maxwell, who in a press statement argued that he had done it as a merciful obligation. He had done it to rescue the workers from their horrendous working conditions."

"Did he also forget to mention that he would be laying off over a thousand of those workers, only to get his money back?"

All eyes snapped up to stare at the coldly spoken words from the only female in the class. "Why, whatever do you mean, Miss Wood?" Treize asked with frank curiosity. This was what he liked. Dialogue and in some cases…a good debate.

"I mean look at it!" The dark-haired girl argued, her green eyes flashing with derision towards Duo, who at this point was trying very hard to ignore her. "That is all they do! They just buy and buy and buy and not give a damn about anyone else! They are just capitalist pigs!"

"Excuse me, Miss. Prissy!" Duo finally replied. He had had about enough drama for one morning and some self-righteous being wasn't going to call his father a pig. "For your information, my father has done nothing more than help these companies! He has rescued them from their worthless position and made them commercial worthy again!"

"In what way?! Huh?! Tell me one way that David Maxwell has helped?!"

Duo was just about to open his mouth to retort again, when a flat, steady voice interrupted him. "The Maxwell Corporation does not just buy out companies for the sake of it. These places they do take over are either willing to be taken over or are ready for a change. And in the words of the great philosophers, change is good. So don't try to blame them for doing what they can to help. If it means that some people would have to lose their jobs in the process, then so be it. That is the way of the economy. It is the way of life. It cannot be helped."

All eyes were now fixed in awe on the stoic-faced Heero. Duo's jaw had practically dropped; his mind refusing to acknowledge that Heero Yuy had actually stood up for him…actually _supported_ him. There was something seriously wrong with this picture.

"Well said, Master Yuy," Treize replied, his head nodding in acceptance. "And how would you go about getting these workers laid off? Would you go for the kill? Or give it to them subtly?"

"I believe in going for the kill. Why put off the inevitable longer than necessary?" Heero replied in a bored tone.

"That sounds kind of callous and cold-hearted," Quatre barged in, his eyes looking a bit worried at the flippant tone. "I mean…shouldn't you at least give them a warning or something?"

Heero frowned. "I don't think so. They should be expecting it. At least, they ought to be."

"You see! That is exactly what I mean! They are all ruthless business men that have no care for anyone else's feelings!" Julie snapped.

Duo allowed a small smirk to come unto his face. At that moment, one could see the exact resemblance to his father and a potential deadly CEO.

"Sweetheart," He said softly, as his eyes darted across the room to meet Prussian blue depths. "The world of business is cruel and harsh. You will have to deal with it or you are in the wrong line of work."

&&&&&

"Deal with it or you are in the wrong line of work?! Duo, that was cold!"

Duo smiled grimly as he eyed his schedule. He had Psychology next. "Q-man, my friend. Life is cold. Someone had to stick it to Miss. Know-it-all. Heck! Did you see the way she was acting? You would think I had killed her family member or something."

"Well, you just might have," the blond argued as they began making their way towards their next class. "What do you have next?"

"Psych."

"Oh. I have Geology."

Duo stuck a finger into his mouth and made gagging noises, earning a playful shove from his companion. Laughing lightly, he tried to ignore the slight tingle of anticipation. He knew that Heero was going to be in all of his classes and he found himself eagerly waiting for each one.

_Two down and more to go._

What puzzled him the most was Heero sticking up for him. Why the hell had he done that? Everyone knew that they did not get along…so why would he…

_Aahh…maybe he wants to kiss and make-up and maybe I just might give him his computer back. Well, that trick isn't going to work on me. It is going to take a whole lot more than sucking up to get me to give it up._

Although a part of him thought that the argument was pretty weak.

"Alright, Duo. This is where I leave you. See you at lunch!"

"You too, Q-man! Have fun studying rocks and crap like that."

Quatre snorted and waved goodbye…but not before bumping into their resident adviser. Duo bit back a sharp bark of laughter as the two boys were now engaged in a battle of profuse apologies to each other…along with lots of paperwork floating around them. Shaking his head at the sight, he spun around to continue his journey, when he stopped short at the sight before him.

_Well, I will be a monkey's uncle._

Seemed like Miss Know-it-all and Mr. Smart-Ass had hit it off. Well, actually the girl was doing most of the talking, while her companion seemed more interested in…nothing in particular. Suddenly feeling very mischievous (these tended to come in sporadic bursts), he walked up to the couple and immediately threw an arm across Heero's shoulders, causing the brown-haired boy to stiffen in either shock or anger.

"Hi there! I see you two are still engaged in that oh so wonderful topic concerning my father's trials and tribulations."

Waiting for Heero to throw his arm off or to say something in return to his actions, he was honestly surprised at the lack of reaction from the stoic-faced boy. If anything, Heero seemed to have relaxed a little and those blue eyes seemed to sparkle with something that Duo was going to have a tough time explaining to himself.

"Actually," Julie said with exasperated calmness, as she hoisted her backpack to her shoulders. "I was just asking Heero if he wanted to study with me later on. We are going to work on the paper that Professor Khushrenada gave us earlier."

"Oh?" Duo replied and then pursing his lips into a mock pout, he turned to face his new **buddy**. "How come you didn't tell me about this, Heero? I thought you and I were getting all chummy and all. I feel so hurt…"

Heero struggled hard to ignore those purple orbs that he knew were mocking him. It was bad enough to have Duo's hands across his shoulders and to experience that unwelcome warmth flow through him and now…

_Two can play that game._

"I am sorry, Duo. I should have told you. Would you like to study with us, then?"

Duo blinked at the small smile on Heero's face, although his eyes spoke volumes.

_/Leave well, the fuck, alone!/_

However, he allowed a bright grin to come onto his visage. "Sure, Heero! I would just **love** to spend the rest of my afternoon sitting in a large library, having **pleasant conversation** with you both. Just make sure you give me a call, so we can hash out the details, ne? Oops! Look at the time! Don't wanna be late for Psychology…which you are having by the way, right?"

And not giving the brown-haired boy a moment to think, he yanked on his arm and waved a quick goodbye to a puzzled-looking Julie.

When they were out of hearing range from the girl, Heero took over and Duo suddenly found himself pushed against a tiny space between two classrooms, safely away from anyone walking down the hallways. He swallowed tightly at the cold look that had come onto Heero's face, although he did nothing to show his worry. The boy looked homicidal.

"Listen to me, Maxwell," Heero bit out sternly, albeit softly, since he didn't want the entire student body hearing his speech. "I know what you are up to and I am on to you, you hear me? If you think you are going to keep playing childish games around me, then you are sadly mistaken."

"You mean aside from that little stunt you pulled this morning," Duo whispered back in anger. "It's a two way thing, Heero. You want to play dirty, then we play dirty! Or we could just ignore each other for the rest of the school year, that is just peachy with me!"

"I intend to beat you at everything you do, Maxwell. Every single thing you do."

Duo grit his teeth, but it wasn't just because of the threat, but due to the painful fact that his pants were getting incredibly tight and uncomfortable. It wasn't his fault, after all just a few inches separated them and he would have been made out of stone not to realize how good-looking the boy in front of him was. Coupled with the idea that he just might be…

_I like girls. I like girls. I like girls! I **have to** like girls! _

He shifted slightly, which turned out to be a bad idea, as his hips made contact with the compact ones before him. Twin gasps of surprise were quickly followed by widened eyes as they gaped at each other in disbelief.

Duo would have laughed at the soft hue of red that was splashed across Heero's face, if it wasn't for the realization that his own face felt hot all of a sudden. Was it his imagination or was Heero coming closer to him… or was it the other way around? He could feel his breath coming in short pants now, his hands were getting clammy with sweat, his heart racing a mile a minute.

_I cannot do this, now! I cannot!_

"Ow! Hey! What did you do that for?!" he cried out in pain, as he found himself rubbing the back of his skull. But, to his amazement, he found himself talking to no one, for Heero had taken off, like the devil was on his tail.

&&&&

"I want you all to select partners for the rest of the semester. We are going to concentrate on getting to know one another on a more personal level. This will count as seventy-five percent of your grade, so there will be no chickening out or anything from anyone, okay?"

The students in Miss. Noin's Psychology class nodded in acceptance.

"And to make it fair," the purple-haired woman continued as she went around the classroom handing out questionnaires for them to fill. "I have put all your names in a box so you get to pick out your partners. Seems fair enough, right? I know some of you are already friends with one another, so that isn't going to count."

Duo frowned at his questionnaire. The personality quiz. Hmm…he had enough personality for the entire school in his opinion. Flicking his pen open, he began answering the questions, his tongue now out of his lips in its usual position.

Heero found himself staring and he hated himself for it.

Never in his life had he been more distracted by anything or anyone before. His eyes flew to his own questions and he answered the first ten automatically. As soon as that was done, he found himself eyeing Duo again. Duo had made himself comfortable in the front seat again and from Heero's vantage point, he was only graced with his side profile.

He could clearly see the pink tip of Duo's tongue lick across his lips in concentration again and unable to stop himself, he groaned softly at the sight. What the hell was wrong with him? He pinched himself angrily, welcoming the sharp pain as he forced his mind to concentrate on the work before him. So what if he had almost kissed Duo? So what if he had so badly wanted to see what that felt like? So what if…

"Gah…" _Focus, for Christ sakes!!_

Question Twenty: How would you describe yourself?

Duo's answer (done with a smile on his face): A great guy, who is more than willing to make friends with anyone and everyone. Is not averse to good food and drink and would love nothing more than to be in a rock band.

Heero's answer: Practical.

Well, at least he was honest.

"Alright, you can turn in your papers and we will begin the selection process. Each of you has been assigned a number. Now here's how this will work. I will call out your number, you step up to the box in front of the class and pick out another number from the box, think of it as a lottery kind of thing. You will call out the number you have and if that is your number, for those of you sitting, please raise up your hand and make yourself heard, okay? Right, first up…Relena Peacecraft!"

The blue-eyed girl smiled and made her way up to the box, not forgetting to stick her tongue out to her best friend. Reaching into the box, she moved and shifted and moved and shifted, till someone muttered out a curt, 'Hurry up already." (sounding eerily like Duo's voice). Finally lifting out her piece of paper, she announced loudly.

"Number Ten!"

Several seconds passed before the calm voice responded.

"Number Ten…Heero Yuy."

Relena shrugged and nodded before going back to her seat, although she noticed that her best friend's face was furrowed in a frown. "What's the matter, Duo?" she asked softly, as Miss Noin announced the next person up. "Don't worry, he won't bite me or anything."

Duo stole a glance at the boy he had almost…

_Grrr…snap out of it, Maxwell! He already thinks you are…you are…_

"Duo?"

He spun around to place a fake smile upon his face. "Nah, Lena. I am not worried. He won't do anything to you. As long as Big Brother Duo is here to protect you, I will keep big bad Heero monster away from you."

Relena snickered and playfully punched his arm. "Yeah, well don't kill him yet. I need him to pass this class, okay? Hmm…he is kinda hot, though. Never really noticed before…"

Duo nodded absentmindedly, although his hands had tightened into fists upon his lap. He didn't want to admit it, but he suddenly felt a well of jealousy and hate rise up like acid in his throat. And for the first time in his life, he wished Relena would just disappear.


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimers:** Do not own the Gundam Wing Characters.

**Warnings:** AU, Shounen ai and Yaoi (in later chapters)

**Pairings:** 6+4+2+5, 2+R+1, 1x1 (yes, folks…it had to happen sooner or later, ne?)

**One more note:** In this fic, Zechs is the same age as the boys and is not related to Relena in anyway…

**CHAPTER SIX:**

Duo eyed his lunch with disinterest. The smooth flow and ebb of Quatre and Wufei's conversation drifting over him like waves. He picked up his fork and pushed around the fried rice he had chosen. Popping a piece of diced chicken into his mouth, he chewed thoughtfully, before dropping his fork abruptly and reaching for his laptop.

"What's up, Duo?" Quatre asked, as he noticed the frantic typing from his companion. "Is that some assignment or something?"

Duo shook his head, his eyes dancing across the screen in front of him. "No…I just need to give my dad a call. I bet he is wondering what the hell has happened to me."

A light snicker from Wufei caused him to raise his eyes in a frown. "What's so funny?" he asked with a trace of irritation. "So what? I like to call my father…sue me."

Wufei almost gagged on his noodles and pounding his chest to prevent himself from choking, he swallowed the stubborn meal down and finally gave in to his mirth. "It is just so hard to see you…doing that sort of a thing, Maxwell. That's all."

"Yeah, whatever," came the lackadaisical reply. Duo made a sound of dismay, as he found his inbox filled with emails from his father (about ten of those), his mother (about fifteen of those) and his older married sister (with just one…thank God!).

"Geez…I just left yesterday," he muttered to himself.

"Mind if I join you?"

The three boys turned around to stare at the newcomer. Pale blue eyes set in a face that was nothing short of breathtaking, topped off with long platinum blond hair, greeted the questioning glances. Duo, eventually, broke out into a sunny grin and patted the spot next to him. "Have a seat, Zechs! Glad you could make it."

The boy named Zechs made himself comfortable beside Duo, placing his tray filled with only a salad and orange drink, carefully in front of him. His tall frame showed off an undeniable strength and poise, which sent looks of interest on the countenances of both Quatre and Wufei.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Duo?" Wufei asked.

"Hmm…oh yeah…" Duo responded quickly. His eyes had gone back to his laptop, completely forgetting that he had to do the honors. "Guys, this is Zechs Merquise. He is my 'partner' in Psychology. Zechs, meet Q-man and Wuffles."

"Wufei!"

"Right…Wufei."

"The pleasure is all mine," Zechs replied quietly, his eyes dancing with amusement at the red-faced Chinese boy. "Q-man?"

"Actually the name is Quatre," the blond replied with a small grin. "Duo just likes to shorten everything he does or says."

With his eyes still pinned on the screen in front of him, Duo replied, "Not true."

Zechs laughed and struck up conversation with the other boys, since Duo seemed a bit preoccupied. Actually, Duo was not as preoccupied as they thought him to be, for if they had been paying close attention, they would have noticed that his body had tensed and that his eyes were no longer on the screen in front of him, but rather on the couple that had just walked into the outdoor eating area.

&&&&

"How about we sit over here…oh, hey! There's Duo! Hey, D! We are coming over to join you!"

Heero groaned inwardly as the brown-haired girl pulled him towards the already crowded table. He hated crowds…especially this particular one. Not only would he have to put up with Relena, but also he would have to deal with his current nemesis, the tall blonde-haired boy (that he curiously felt like strangling) and the other ones. He pursed his lips and dug his heels stubbornly.

"I would rather eat on my own, Relena," he replied steadily, hoping the frown on his face would make his intentions well known.

Obviously, Relena did not understand 'death glare' or any glare in particular, because the next thing he knew, he was standing inches away from the curious looks that were clearly directed at them. Shifting uncomfortably as Relena rattled on and introduced herself, his eyes glanced briefly to the silent Duo, who was still typing away at his laptop.

_His_ laptop. Duo was still with it and knowing that he could not get access to his own was enough to bring back the well of anger from his core. He would have loved nothing more than to kick aside Duo's equipment, but he succeeded in calming himself down and began thinking of more objective plans to gain back what was his. In mere seconds, he found himself squeezed in between Quatre and Wufei as Relena had now made herself comfortable beside Duo.

"Aren't we a bit crowded here?" Wufei asked irritably as his elbow made contact with Heero's food. "Damn it, what the hell did you get for lunch?" he asked in bemusement as he stared at the yellow thick-looking soup.

"Soup," Heero replied as he picked up his spoon and began eating, making sure that he kept his eyes away from the still typing Duo. He was irritated to find that his hands were trembling slightly and cursing himself silently, he willed the stubborn action to die down.

"Duo?! Answer me! What are you typing anyways?" Relena asked in a whiny voice. She dangled her spoon in front of his face for several seconds, before a sharp gasp was emitted from her lips. Her wrist had been caught within Duo's hand with such speed, that the other occupants of the table were stunned into silence.

Instead of indignation and hurt, a small smirk came onto the girl's face as she eyed the frowning boy before her. "Ha! At least you haven't lost your touch."

Duo released her and giving a small smile of apology to his captive audience, he continued with his 'work.'

"Are you okay, Relena?" Zechs asked concerned.

The girl smiled and continued with her meal. "Yep! Don't mind me. I just do that to annoy him sometimes. He hates it when I interrupt his work or anything important. You are going to have a blast getting to know Duo. He is so complex and so strange and so…"

Heero gripped his spoon tightly as Relena rattled off her best friend's attributes to an admiring Zechs. He could still recall the way he had felt as Duo had picked out the blond boy's number. A sharp lace of envy and disgust had coursed through his spine and he had wanted nothing more than to rip the smug look of satisfaction on the taller boy's face. For the next few weeks, Duo and Zechs would be spending time together, learning about each other and Heero was not immune to the looks that had passed between the two boys. Zechs Merquise had fallen under the Duo Maxwell spell and Heero did not like it one bit.

"Heeeeeerooo! Wake up, wake up!" Relena teased lightly. "You zoned out on me back there. Come on, let's go."

He lifted his eyes away from his barely touched food and nodded in agreement. "We can go to the students lounge and talk for a while, okay?" Relena continued.

Heero shrugged non-commitally as he got up to throw his food away. A low murmur of 'wasteful people' from Zechs's lips caused him to bang his tray louder than necessary back on the table. Twin depths of icy blue coldness stared at each other in anger, each daring the other in a silent battle.

Relena tried again. "Heero?"

"Hn. Some people should know when to keep their mouths shut, especially when there is no need for them to speak at all."

Blinks of bemusement went around the table at the words that had come out from the Heero's mouth.

"Wha…"

"Let's go," Heero commanded softly as he yanked on Relena's arm and led her out of the area. Relena could only shrug as she was unceremoniously pulled out of the chair.

"Okay…what was that about?" Wufei asked.

Zechs shrugged and got off his seat. "Heero Yuy is a strange boy. I thought you would have figured that out by now."

Duo shut down his computer and stretched aching muscles. "You said it, partner. I for one should know. The whole damn family is nuts. Let's go. You coming, Q-man? Wufei?"

"Where are you two going to?" Quatre asked with a tinge of jealousy laced in his voice.

Duo smirked mischievously and draped an arm around the taller boy's shoulders. "Zechs and I are going to have a powwow in my humble abode. Feel free to join us."

"No, thanks," Wufei answered, as he too stood up to empty out his tray. "I have to meet…"

"Wufei has a girlfriend!" Quatre announced suddenly, earning snickers from Duo and Zechs and a very deadly death glare from the Chinese boy. "And her name's Merian."

"Thank you, Winner!" Wufei snapped angrily. "I don't think you needed to announce that!"

"But…"

"Forget it! This is the last time I ever tell you anything about me again! Ever!"

"I am really sorry, Wufei. I thought…"

Duo shook his head as he watched the two boys make their way out of the outdoor cafeteria. He immediately stiffened as he felt Zechs place a hand softly against his hair. "What are you doing?" he asked quietly, although his voice sounded a bit irritated.

Zechs smiled softly and dropped his hand. "That's okay. I was just trying to brush away a few strands that had fallen loose, that's all. I am sorry if I have offended you in any way."

Duo managed a tight smile as he shouldered his backpack. "That's okay. Just try not to touch it again. I am very protective of it…if you know what I mean."

The blonde boy nodded. "Of course, I understand. So, shall we head over to your domain?"

"Sure, why the hell not?" came the flippant reply as he shrugged and led the way. Inside, however, Duo Maxwell was a quivering mass of nerves.

It had taken all of his acting skills to hide the painful ache that had filled his groin as soon as the other boy had made his presence known. He had tried to will it away. Had tried to convince himself that he couldn't possibly have those kind of feelings for a boy he was supposed to **hate**…and on the first day too! He cursed himself inwardly for even daring to allow that steady, almost cold voice to affect him in such a way. Heero had a way of speaking that always managed to send a tingle of awareness down his spine. Duo could swear that as of now, he would probably be able to recognize that voice anywhere at anytime. He felt that he could probably sense Heero from a mile away.

_This is not good at all._

And now…he had to deal with Zechs. Stealing a glance towards the blond, Duo tried hard to dispel the worried emotions that coursed through him. Zechs had not made any effort to hide his sexual preferences, something that the girls in his Psychology class had been very disappointed to learn about. Duo had even noticed Miss. Noin giving him _the look_, but as soon as class had been over, Zechs had told him straight out and point blank.

"I prefer the male sex…if you know what I mean," Zechs had said and Duo had shrugged nonchalantly in return. So why then had he felt a sense of relief at that statement? Why did he feel a sense of security in knowing that Zechs swung in that way? He couldn't possibly be…?

His frown deepened as he remembered the first incident that had caused him to question the whole sexual orientation issue in the first place…and Relena had been there to witness it.

It was the annual Maxwell/Peacecraft Christmas Party and the large mountainside cabin was filled with gaiety and jubilation. Not only were they celebrating the festive holiday, they were also celebrating the multi-billion dollar merger between the two parent companies, and so naturally everyone was in high spirits.

Everyone…except for Relena and Duo.

The two young people sat beneath the evening skies, swinging leisurely on the lounge chairs. Dressed in a cream colored sweater and dark pants, Relena looked calm and collected, while her partner looked dangerously handsome in a black turtleneck sweater and matching pants, his braid glistening brightly in the moonlight. They were both to the point of getting drunk, since they had been drinking nonstop, totally and completely out of boredom. Relena cradled her glass full of eggnog and eyed her dozing friend.

"Hey…wake up, sleepy," she said, nudging him alert.

Duo jerked up and stared about him wildly. "What? What happened? Is it over yet?"

Relena giggled and drank another gulp, before placing her cup down beside her. Snuggling up to him, she whispered softly into his sweater. "No, handsome. It isn't over yet. That damn bastard hasn't made a move on me yet. I hate guys."

And without thinking, Duo had replied casually. "I like guys."

Relena, unfortunately, had picked up on it and sitting back up, she stared at her friend with eyes that blazed with excitement and mischief. "I knew it. I knew it all along. So you are gay!"

Duo sputtered into his glass and reached over to cover her mouth with his gloved hands. "Shut up, Relena!" He whispered harshly, his eyes darting around to make sure no one had heard the blunder. "I am not gay, you hear me?!"

Relena yanked his hands away and lowered her voice, although her words still rushed out in earnest. "So if you are not gay…what are you then? Bi?"

Duo blinked. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Idiot. It means that you like both guys and girls. I think that is really cool. I think I might be bi too."

"Relena!" Duo looked shocked, even though he felt a tinge of anticipation course through him. What if he was? He had not really given his sexual preferences that much of a thought. But now…

"Wanna see if you are or not?"

He snapped out of his reverie to stare at her blankly. "What do you mean?"

Relena leaned forward, her fingers pointing towards someone or something behind him. He spun around sharply to stare at the object of her fascination. Standing a few feet away was one of his father's employees. Duo couldn't quite place his name at the moment, but the man was very attractive…and lonely. He was currently leaning against the wooden balcony rails, sipping quietly on his martini. Dressed in tan slacks and a white/black sweater, the man was having a hard time trying to keep his eyes away from the young heir sitting a few feet away. He smiled wanly as he noticed Duo glance at him, raising his glass in a toast. Duo responded, his own smile appearing as he realized that 'mystery' man was actually blushing.

"Too cute," Relena cooed softly, before pushing Duo off the bench. "Go for it, Duo. He is practically begging for it."

Duo glared at her. "Hey…you don't see me pushing you off on some other girl now, do you? I will go in my own due time."

Relena sighed and got up, and before Duo could stop her, she had made her way towards the man. Duo watched with mixtures of dismay and excitement as Relena 'chatted' the man up for him. He fiddled with the end of his braid. He drank from his almost empty glass. He tried to ignore the well of fear and anticipation. He had never done it with a guy before. Oh, he wasn't a virgin, by any means. He had lost that on his sixteenth birthday, courtesy of some very 'concerned' friends of his. Damn! He couldn't even remember her name now.

"Master Duo Maxwell?"

He snapped his head up and was graced with shy dark eyes that begged and longed for permission. Realizing that the man was just as nervous as he was, he smiled brightly and patted the seat next to him. "Have a seat. I am sure we have a lot to talk about."

And giving the thumbs up to Relena, he set about to do just that.

Duo fumbled within his bag for his card pass, aware that they had been silent throughout the long walk to the dorms. His thoughts flew again to that first night of …experimentation. He had left with Jason…yep, that was his name. Jason Whittle. He was an up and comer in his father's computer industry and was quite the hard worker. Duo had found himself talking with the twenty-four-year-old like he was a long lost brother. And there was no doubt that they had felt attracted to one another. Duo wasn't quite sure about who had initiated the first move. Whoever it was, his first kiss with another man had been quite…

"Damn these stupid things!" he muttered angrily as he fidgeted with the square piece of plastic. He stiffened again as he felt Zechs take the offending card away from his hands gently. Watching as the taller boy slid it through the allotted slot, he felt like an idiot as the green light flashed and the door opened to reveal his not-so-tidy room.

"Must be a lot on your mind for you to have problems opening your door up," Zechs pointed out quietly as he shut the door behind them. "Do you want to do this some other time?"

Duo tossed his bag across the room and flopped unto the couch in exhaustion. He placed an arm over his eyes and kicked off his shoes. "Nah…" He tried to say, as a loud yawn interrupted him. Gosh! The first part of the day had taken a lot out of him. He lifted his arm slightly to gaze at Zechs, who had now made himself comfortable on a chair. "What?"

"So…who was he?"

Duo blinked and sat up abruptly, his purple eyes blazing with agitation. "What do you mean?"

Zechs smiled again and nodded calmly before standing up and making his way towards the windows. The late afternoon sun filtered through the windowpanes, bathing the room with a hazy golden glow. The light hit against Zechs's frame, giving him a sort of god-like glow. If Duo wasn't already having some turbulent thoughts about some blue-eyed bastard, he would have fallen fast for the blond.

"You doubt yourself, do you not, Duo?" Zechs asked as he spun around to pin those blue depths on the heart-shaped visage before him. "You wonder if you are or if you aren't, right?"

"Look…I don't know what you are up to, but…"

A loud knock interrupted his tirade and grateful for the intrusion, he jumped up and ran to open the door.

About to open up his mouth to give an exuberant hello to whoever it was, he snapped it shut just as quickly as he realized who stood on his doorstep. He was angry to find his heart rate increasing. Furious at the way his body refused to cooperate with him as it sprang to attention at the delectable sight….

_Whoa! Delectable??_

He felt like gagging. But he couldn't. Not with him…standing just a few inches away from him. Seconds (although it felt like minutes) passed as each boy took in the sight of the other. It was as if they had been rendered incapable of speech and Duo had to lick his lips to find some moisture for his sudden parched throat. Gripping the doorknob with more force than necessary, he finally croaked out.

"What do you want?"

Heero was about to answer, when Duo interrupted coldly. "If you came here to ask for your laptop, then forget it! I haven't decided to give it back to you…as of right now."

The brown-haired boy tightened his lips in anger, his passive blue eyes flashing briefly with something akin to hate. "I just came to give you this."

Duo barely caught the envelope that was thrust at him. "What is this?"

"I don't know or care. Relena said I ought to give it to you, that is all. Good day."

With a curt nod, Heero Yuy spun around and made his way down the winding hallway to his own room.

Duo found himself staring at the way Heero's hips swayed, a small whimper of…need, escaping his lips, as thoughts of thrusting himself against…

"What did he want?"

Flushing in embarrassment at his wanton thoughts, he pushed himself away from the door and turned around sharply to stare at the curious eyes before him.

"Uh…nothing really. He just wanted to give me Relena's letter. So, let's get this thing started, shall we?"

Duo motioned for Zechs to head back into the room as he turned back to close his door, but not before the stray thought of his sudden visitor and what he was up to at the moment flared through his frazzled mind again.

&&&&

Heero Yuy prided himself in being cool and collected in matters of great crises. It was a technique that he had watched and learned from his father over the years, a technique that had garnered a lot of praise and admiration from men and women much older than he was. Many had suggested that his lack of female influences in his life had given him such a tough and rough edge. Heero knew better. Odin might have left off dating other women since his mother's death, at childbirth, but Heero had had a very good motherly replacement. Her name was Martha and she had been Heero's personal maid/surrogate mother for the better part of his life. He felt he would have gladly died for her at any given moment. He could honestly say that she was the only woman he could ever love.

If Odin had been in charge of Heero's toughness and grit, then Martha had been in charge of his hidden softer emotions. She was the only one who had seen him cry. She was the only one who knew that he was sensitive in certain areas and that tickling those areas usually sent him howling with laughter. She was the only one who knew his keen love for things that would have made Odin cringe in disgust. She had taught him how to cook and garden, believe it or not. And Martha was the only one who knew that he would never be comfortable in the presence of female affections.

And God help him, if Odin Yuy found that out.

Right now, however, he had to find a way to make it back to his room without stumbling down the hallway. He could still feel Duo's eyes boring into his back and it was taking all of his concentration and willpower to walk steadily. Left to him, he would not have made the journey to the other boy's room at all, but Relena had pleaded with him, saying that the letter was extremely important. He had argued, replying that she ought to give it to him the next day, but Relena had turned on the charm to its full strength, causing him to give up the fight. And so with a trepidation that he could not bring himself to explain, he had made the seemingly mile long walk to Duo's room.

He had practiced and rehearsed his lines carefully. He had planned to initially knock and then drop off the letter on the floor, or possibly push the damn thing beneath the door. Still deciding on what cause of action to take, he had been genuinely shocked at the speed with which the door had opened. He had watched the look of happiness on Duo's face change to that of surprise and then anger in mere seconds. Heero had kicked himself inwardly at the sear of pain that had gone through him. Had he really hoped that Duo would ever really smile for him?

_Wishful thinking…remember your father's orders._

Yeah, right. He and Duo had already spoken and touched each other on the first day of school. So much for not fraternizing with the enemy. Walking into his room, he shut the door quietly behind him and flopped unto his bed, his eyes burning with anger and want as he glared at the intricate décor above him.

He shifted restlessly, willing the throbbing ache in his groin to disappear. All to no avail. Finally giving up the fight, he reached for his pants and slowly unbuckled his belt. His breath become rapid and harsh as a sudden image of blazing purple depths stared at him. He squeezed his eyes shut and reached into his boxers, brushing against a hardened and ready piece of flesh. Groaning softly, he ran his fingers across the head, noticing that he was already leaking. Arching off his bed, he stroked himself from base to tip, in slow gentle motions, just the way he liked it. Several more images of Duo from their clash at the cafeteria to their confrontation at his doorstep caused his actions to lose their rhythm. He found himself bucking up sharply, the oncoming orgasm threatening to overwhelm his senses. He squeezed his eyes even tighter, allowing the bright sparkles of color to fill his blinded vision. His head swam. He bit his lower lip, tasting the salty metallic taste of his blood.

"Oh, God, yes!"

With a final jerk, he came forcefully, spilling his thick essence against his stomach and hands. He trembled with the aftershocks, his body curling into a fetal position as he tried to steady his heartbeat. Breathing like he had just run a marathon, he swiped his now sweaty bangs away from his forehead, his glazed eyes trying to take in his surroundings.

Kami…it had never been this mind blowing before.

If it was this good going at it alone with just Duo's image, Heero could only imagine how earth shattering it would be to have the real person right next to him.


	7. Chapter Seven

Disclaimers: Do not own the Gundam Wing Characters

Warnings: AU, Shounen-ai -Lime (in this chapter!)

Pairings: 1+2

Beta: Veggie Otaku (arigato!)

**CHAPTER SEVEN:**

_I will not stare. I will not stare. I absolutely refuse to stare._

Easier said or rather thought than done. It was the second half of the day and luckily they had most of the sporting activities for the evening. Heero was now subjected to the new torture of having to watch Duo across…_directly_ across from him, clad in the school gym outfit that was comprised of black shorts and a white tank top. The basketball coach had divided them into two teams. Heero was in the red team, while Duo was in the green (hence the color armbands they had been forced to wear). He shifted from one foot to another, his hands hidden behind his back as he tried not to show his agitation. Still a bit embarrassed at his self-gratifying activities earlier, to everyone else he looked just as blank and as uninterested, whilst inside he was in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Little did he know that the other boy was just as shaken up as he.

Except Duo chose to show his own agitation by talking and…talking, which in turn seemed to drive his listener to the brink of insanity.

"Maxwell!" Wufei finally blurted out in frustration. "I have heard that story for the past ten minutes straight. Could you be quiet for just one minute, please?"

The shrill sound of the whistle saved Duo from making a smart comeback.

"Alright, ladies! (although there were no girls in the class)," Coach Septum began in an odd shrill-like voice. This caused some of the boys to snicker to themselves. To them he sounded like an old grandma being given a really bad wedgie. "It is time for some basketball. No dirty playing or excessive shoving or kicks or whaling or someone going to sue some else's ass for no good reason. To cut a long story short…I don't want any goddamn crybabies, got it?!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Fine! Captains of the teams step forward please."

Zechs and Heero made their way towards the center of the large basketball court. It seemed a bit unfair, as Zechs was a bit taller than Heero, but this thought was quickly eliminated from the players' minds, as Heero had made a higher leap to catch the ball. Duo tried hard not to stare at the well-muscled thighs on his rival's compact body and in the process he almost careened into another player.

"You are supposed to follow the ball, Maxwell!" Septum bellowed angrily. "How the hell do you plan to make the varsity team, huh?"

Duo frowned and got his attention back on track. He loved basketball to death and his second dream, aside from being a rock star, was to become the greatest player that ever lived. Although, that dream would have to wait for a while, because as of right now, Heero's team…Heero in particular was quite literally kicking his ass.

Twenty minutes and four points down later, he found himself sprawling unto the shiny wooden floors, grimacing in pain as someone had stepped on his braid in the process. Raising his head, he got ready to give the fool a piece of his mind, only to come in contact with mocking Prussian depths. Duo knew a challenge when he saw one, and growling softly, he got back to his feet and made a mad dash for the smirking boy.

Heero watched the wild move in anticipation, the ball still held in his arms. When he was sure that Duo was about to pounce on him, he ducked and swerved sharply to the right, successfully tossing the ball quickly over to his teammate. Duo's momentum, unfortunately, did not seem to cooperate with him, for the next thing he knew, he had collided into the brown-haired boy, causing both of them to fall to the ground in a tangle of limbs and one painful braid hold.

"OUCH!! Let it go!" Duo winced. He was sprawled above Heero now, his arms and legs tangled up with the other boy's. Another tug on his hair caused him to glare angrily into blue depths that were inches away from him. Duo found that he was quite unable to speak at the flushed face below him. He tried to blame that on the exertions from the game. The sweaty handsome face below, adorned with that rough tumble of hair that Duo wanted oh so much to brush aside, the eyes that no longer held contempt…at the moment, the straight nose, the slightly parted lips that he wanted to taste and feel. Oh, Kami, he was drowning within those depths…

"Duo?"

_Duo…he called me Duo. Not Maxwell…but Duo._

"Huh?" His voice sounded like it was a mile away and right now he couldn't really care less about where they were. He wanted to kiss Heero and…

"Get off me."

Duo blinked at the cold words. He shook his head and stared at the blue eyes he had thought beautiful, now fill with passive indifference. "What…?"

Heero sounded exasperated. "I said 'Get off me', you fool. Everyone is beginning to stare at us."

"Oh, yeah. Right." Duo jumped to his feet, almost stumbling to the floor again in his haste. Brushing away the long bangs from his eyes, he stuck his hand out to help Heero up. After all, it was in the spirit of sportsmanship to do so. For several seconds, Duo thought his offer would be ignored, for Heero was staring at his outstretched offering as if it were a snake ready to spring up on him and bite.

Heero didn't want to touch him. He would explode if he did. It was bad enough to have to feel Duo's body against his and pretend not to care, or to ignore the new ache below his waist, but it would look really bad to ignore the hand too. Steeling himself and hoping that his nervousness would not show, he took the lean hands before him. A sharp jolt of awareness flared through both boys and they gasped in unison. Duo felt his face redden as Heero retained his grip and got to his feet. A curt nod from Heero was his response, and Duo found himself nodding like a bird in the same manner.

Another loud blast from the whistle shook both boys out of their dazed stupor. They had a game to finish.

&&&&&

His team lost after all.

Sighing wearily, Duo stepped under the hot sprays of the locker room showers. Wufei was still ranting and raving about the way Duo had played, and to be honest, Duo could hardly blame him. He had lost all interest in the game after the encounter with Heero. It was as if his entire mind and body had shut down completely. His skills had suddenly disappeared and Coach Septum had been nothing short of baffled at the display. Where was the leading scorer in all of L2 High School's basketball history? Duo had no clue either. Heero had sucked out his competitive spirit with one touch and—

"I swear, Maxwell, if you do not make it to the varsity team, I am going to be very disappointed with you."

Duo lowered his head and allowed the water to soak up his skin. "Yeah…I am sorry, Wufei. I promise to play better next time."

"Hn. Whatever, Maxwell. I have Advanced Calculus in half an hour. What about you?"

Duo raised his head to stare at the Chinese boy; his eyes taking in the fact that Wufei had actually let his hair down. A small smile came unto his face. Wufei looked quite different with his hair down. The dark locks framed his face giving him a much softer and almost elfin look.

"Your hair is down."

Wufei blinked in confusion and ran his hands across his hair as if making sure it hadn't disappeared or something. "I know that, Maxwell. What has that got to do with what I asked you?"

"What did you ask me, again?"

Wufei snorted and switched his shower off. Reaching for his towel, he rubbed it down his body in quick strokes. "What about you? How come you take a shower with your braid still on? Doesn't that affect you in any way?"

Duo shook his head and switched off his own shower. "Nah…it's too much of a bother. I have my special washing days. It takes practically a whole day to get it fixed just right."

Wufei nodded and stepped out to the locker rooms with Duo in tow. "I was actually asking if you had any classes this evening."

The braided boy nodded. "Yep…Drama."

Wufei stopped his movements and eyed his companion. "Drama? Why would you take such a class?"

"I happen to like drama, okay?" Duo snapped, his hands reaching into his locker to pull his shirt over his head.

"Don't tell me, Yuy will be there, right?"

"Right. He is like my fucking shadow, you know? He is really beginning to annoy me."

The Chinese boy 'hmphed' and began the process of brushing his hair back into its customary ponytail. "Is he really, Maxwell?" he asked softly, although his eyes were still pinned on the mirror before him. "That little display on the basketball court this afternoon, doesn't prove that."

Duo stiffened and suddenly felt defensive. "Look, whatever happened out there…what the hell do you mean 'display'?" We did not display anything."

"Yeah, right. See you…tomorrow, I guess. You have a great drama class."

"Hey, come back here and explain yourself!" Duo shouted after him, not caring for the looks he was beginning to receive. Snorting angrily to himself, he stuck his legs into his pants and buckled them up with more force than necessary.

There was absolutely nothing happening between he and Heero Yuy. Absolutely **nothing!**

&&&&

"And now, I want you all to close your eyes and take deep calming breaths. I want you to feel that energy rise out of your guts and into your entire body. I want you all to…to…**feel.** To be one with the karma that fills us all."

Duo wondered if he was in the wrong class.

But, he and about twenty others, dutifully complied with the serene brown-haired woman before them. They were all sitting in a rough semi-circle, blazers tossed aside as Lady Une (for that was her name) believed in non-restriction. And so beneath blazing bright lights in a large, almost empty acting studio/room; the students of Drama 101 began breathing from their guts.

Heero had never felt more stupid in his life. This was nothing but a waste of his time and energy and he hated Duo for choosing this class. He opened up his eyes to take a peek at the boy in question, noticing that Relena was stuck at his side again and also that blond boy.

_Quatre…_

The blond was on Duo's right, their hands clasped in the chain Lady Une had insisted they perform. Heero suddenly wished he was in Quatre or possibly Relena's spot, but quickly shook his head at the stray thought. Who needed to be beside the idiot anyway? He was fine right next to the heavily breathing being on his right and the wheezing girl on his left. His eyes danced across the room and he noticed that that girl, Julie, was also in this class.

Mumbling a light, 'Hn', he closed back his eyes and concentrated on his breathing techniques. Duo, on the other hand, had opened his eyes to take a peek at his classmates. He finally rested them upon the brown-haired boy across from him. Heero's face, although still etched with a small frown, looked a whole lot younger than his years. Duo's mind went back to his conversation with Wufei. Had it really been that obvious? He could have sworn that Heero had felt the same way…what **way** exactly?

Biting his lip in consternation, he shook his head and closed his eyes. Better to worry about this stuff much later on. He had other things to do at the moment…like wonder why Quatre was suddenly fingering his hands. Opening an eye carefully, he stole a peek at the blond. Quatre looked liked he was in throes of some passionate dance. His lithe body waved back and forth and side-to-side, giving Duo a faint cause for alarm. Maybe Quatre was about to pass out. Maybe the boy had not had enough of his lunch. He was just about to call out to him to snap out of it, when Lady Une suddenly cut in.

"Good, class. I would like you all to open up your eyes and to look at the person right next to you. I want you to tell them how you feel at this moment. Remember, this class is about expressing emotions and you will have to do that…_if_ you want to pass. So let us begin, Rebecca?"

Rebecca turned to her left and faced the person next to her. "I felt an inner peace and calm." The person in turn faced his left and this went on and on. Duo, whose hands were still clamped within Quatre's grasp, wondered why the smaller boy was suddenly trembling.

"Q-man? Are you, okay?" he whispered softly, his purple eyes filled with concern. "You don't look so good."

Quatre blushed and shook his head. Just as he was about to give a response to Duo, it was suddenly his turn to speak his emotions. He had barely heard what his companion had said to him. Turning a very crimson-colored face to the braided beauty before him, Quatre found himself stuttering and suddenly unable to make a coherent sentence.

"Master Winner? Is there a problem?"

"No…no…La...Lady Une…I…I…just…."

"Remember to take deep breaths, Winner. That should calm you down."

Quatre did just that and raised warm blue depths to the questioning violet orbs before him. "I felt…I felt…like I was floating…floating in a sea of roses. I felt so happy because…I had never felt so…happy. I had Du…I mean, I had the person that means so much to me there. I felt…alive. He made me feel alive."

Duo (and as a matter of fact, everyone in the class) gaped at the almost angelic look on the blond boy's face and with a sinking feeling somewhere down the pits of his stomach, it suddenly dawned on Duo that Quatre had either fallen for him or was in the throes of a major crush session. Either way, Duo didn't quite know what to do…or say for that matter. He found himself sneaking another glance to gauge Heero's reaction, but all he got was that same damn blank stare. Duo felt a bit disappointed. He would have thought Heero would be upset or at least show some signs of jealousy or something. Sucking up the hurt, he plastered a smile onto his face and nodded to Quatre.

"That was really beautiful, Winner." Lady Une gushed, her collection of bracelets making a clashing sound as they danced over her arms. "Now, Master Maxwell, what do you have to say?"

Duo swallowed tightly and turned around to face a smirking Relena. "I felt…"

_Like shit. I felt like I should be out of this place with some blue-eyed bastard and I don't mean Quatre, having the best time of my young life, but nooooooo, have to be stuck in this class._

"I felt peace and calm," he finally blurted out. This earned a snigger from Relena and a disappointed look on Quatre's face. Hardly paying attention to Relena's thoughts, Duo figured that he owed Quatre a one-on-one conversation later on.

It was, eventually Heero's turn. "I felt…nothing in particular."

A gasp of disbelief and several giggles and snickers accompanied his remark. "Well…Master Heero," Lady Une retorted sharply. "It is nice to know that you have a sense of humor tucked away somewhere. I just hope you use that to your advantage in this class."

Heero shrugged and raised his eyes to meet challenging purple ones, his body flaring with awareness again as they sent that warm tingle down his spine. He would have to find a way to control this…new…weakness. He couldn't allow Duo to get the better of him. He could not afford that at this time.

"For our first assignment, we are going to read chapter one of your textbooks. Try to concentrate on the rudiments of acting. And during the next class period, we are going to test those acting skills, okay? You will all get a chance to select a specific monologue from one of Shakespeare's greatest works and perform…I didn't say recite…_perform_ it on stage for the class, understood?"

Grumbles and murmurs accompanied her request as the students made their way out of the room. Duo was beat and all he wanted to do was sink into his bed and never get up. Stifling a yawn, he shouldered his bag and turned around to search for Quatre. He frowned as his eyes took in the few students remaining. Aside from Relena, who was currently chatting with an uncommunicative Heero and an animated Julie, the blond boy was nowhere in sight.

_Probably went to the bathroom._

He shrugged and began to make his way towards the exits, his intention being to wait for Quatre, if he had indeed gone to the restrooms. He was clearly surprised, however, as he stepped out into the cool evening breeze to see the boy in question speaking to none other than the resident adviser extraordinaire. Pinning a smile onto his face, he walked up to meet them.

"Hey, guys. What's up?"

Trowa nodded briefly in his direction before turning back to Quatre. "I will see you later on, okay?"

"Sure."

Duo scratched his head at the abrupt dismissal, but decided nothing of it. "Hey, Q-man. You left without saying a word." He tried to drape an arm across his shoulders, but was stunned into silence as the Arabian stepped lightly out of reach. Duo blinked in confusion.

"What is it, Quatre? Why the cold attitude all of a sudden."

"You made me look like a fool in there, Duo," Quatre answered, his lips going into a thin line of displeasure. "I blurt out my innermost thoughts to you and you just treat me like I was…was…nothing."

"Umm…Quatre…"

"I know you don't feel anything for me. I know you don't care about how I feel or what I say. I am just Q-man to you. The little friend you can just keep in the corner, well no more, Duo! You hear me?! I won't take it anymore!"

Duo was now completely floored. This was a whole new side to Quatre that he had never seen and quite frankly did not want to ever see. That angelic face was gone; instead a cold, bitter look had replaced it, making him look almost devilish in nature.

"I swear…swear to God's honest truth…Q-man…I mean Quatre. I didn't know you had those kinds of feelings for me. If I had known…"

"What would you have done, huh? Don't worry, Duo. I promise not to be such a leech anymore. I guess I pushed myself unto to you too soon, ne?"

"Umm…"

"You don't have to say anything," Quatre continued, the bitter look now replaced with one of quiet resignation. "It's just that…" He took a deep breath and ran trembling fingers through his hair. "I do not understand why I should have these kinds of feelings for someone I just met…it doesn't make any sense."

Duo could sympathize. He was going through the same chaos too. The two boys stood silent for several minutes, a bit uneasy at the turn of events.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Are we still friends or not?"

The Arabian smiled and nodded. "Of course we are, Duo. I am sorry for snapping like that. I am already stressed out on college…"

Duo laughed lightly and shouldered his bag. "Yeah…college can be a bitch. So, what did Captain Trowa want?" He raised an eyebrow as he noticed the flush that had risen unto the blonde boy's face.

Quatre shifted from one foot to the other. "He was inviting me to a party on Saturday. I mean, actually, he just wanted to find out if we could all come."

"All?"

"Yes. You and me and Wufei. He said it was a sort of 'welcome to college' thing. Just a group of guys going out into the main town and having fun…I guess."

Duo noticed the puzzled frown on Quatre's face. "You have never gone to a party before?"

"I have!" came the indignant response. "I just haven't been to these kinds…"

Duo dropped his backpack and sat down upon the manicured lawns, eagerly motioning for Quatre to join him. Tucking their legs beneath them, Indian style, they stared at the dying sunset in quiet contemplation.

"So this is where you guys are."

"Hi Lena! Julie! Have a seat."

The two girls sat next to the boys and sat in very much the same fashion, each keeping silent as they admired the beauty of nature before them. Duo snuck a peek behind him, wondering what had happened to their third companion.

His inner question was answered as he spied the still figure hidden behind the growing evening shadows. For a moment, Duo swore he had seen a look of longing on the other boy's face, but then again…the blank look that had replaced it quelled that thought. Feeling mischievous again he was just about to blurt out Heero's name, when the silent boy spun on his heels and walked away. Duo clamped his lips back up again and hunched his knees up to his chin.

He pinned burning violet depths at the dying sun, wondering idly at the sudden chill that filled his bones.

&&&&

Heero stared at the set-up before him, his dark eyes drinking in all visual information. According to the plans and layouts of the security systems in the building, he could successfully deactivate the alarms for the doors on this floor without affecting the others. He figured he would make it to Duo's room and back in less than an hour, if everything went according to plan. Typing in several codes and passwords into the PC before him, he smirked in satisfaction as the red line highlighted his mission being accomplished.

And now onto Phase Two of his plan.

&&&&

Simply put, this was Operation Retrieval, and Heero had no plans to fail it. He had come in earlier in the evening and on the pretext of looking for Trowa, he had asked and finally figured out where his rival's room was located. It was quite a distance from his own, but he was fast and he could get in and out in no time.

His ears perked up at the soft chime of his alarm clock. It was two o'clock in the morning. Time to get the show on the road. Clad in his comfortable black spandex shorts and trusty old green tank top, he debated on whether to go barefoot or not. After two minutes of arguing with himself, he finally kicked off his shoes and stealthily made his way towards his door. The alarms and locks had been deactivated, and as Heero stuck his head out, he was happy to see that he was the only one awake as well.

_So far, so good._

He shut the door softly behind him and made the quick trot towards his target. The sound of a door opening froze him in mid-stride and he had to press himself against a wall as another student shuffled out sleepily towards the bathrooms. Waiting for the boy to go in, Heero darted out again and quickened his footsteps. He had to hurry.

_Finally! _

He stared at the black door with the name 'Duo Maxwell' on it. He blinked. His hands were getting sweaty. And why the hell was his heart thudding even faster? He couldn't possibly be afraid of Duo? That was ridiculous! Gritting his teeth and bracing himself, he placed his hands upon the handle and swung the door open softly. Stepping into the room, he shut the door just as quietly behind him and flicked his flashlight on.

_Now, if I were a moron, where would I keep a laptop that didn't belong to me?_

He darted around the living space area, raising the couch seats and looking underneath and around the tables and chair. Nothing. He raced over to the work desk. All that filled the table, was unfinished assignments, the already-provided PC, Duo's own laptop…which Heero had certain plans for, and some unfinished pizza slices in a box. Shaking his head at the mess, Heero made his way towards Duo's closet. Pushing the door open, he blinked at the row of neatly hung uniforms and the assortment of …black clothes. Didn't the guy ever think in color? Getting down on his hands and knees, he ransacked the enclosed space. Five frantic minutes later, his face now sweating with his exertion, he sat on his haunches and growled.

"Where the fuck is it?!" he whispered harshly.

There was only one more place to check and even Heero was having a hard time trying to get himself to make it over there. But giving himself one final pep talk for motivation, saying it was only for his laptop and nothing else, he forced his now heavy-laden feet to make the short walk to the four-poster bed.

And he suddenly wished he didn't.

Duo lay sprawled across his bed, in a tangle of blankets and pillows. It was like he had been in a major fight with the inanimate objects. The blankets barely covered the naked torso and for a moment Heero felt his heart stop at the thought that Duo might be sleeping in the nude, however, the flashlight showed the dark line of black boxer shorts and Heero expelled a breath he was unaware he had been holding.

_Okay…time to look for my laptop._

But he found himself still staring at the sleeping boy before him. The soft rise and fall of that smooth bronze chest, coupled with the slight parting of full moist lips, sent the blood flowing down to his nether regions in a rush. Duo stirred and scratched his arm, finally turning onto his side, as he cradled something flat and black to his body.

Something flat and black to his…

GODDAMNIT! HE IS SLEEPING WITH MY LAPTOP!!

Heero was furious. He was mad. He was goddamn upset. He was…amazed and oddly enough a bit giddy at the thought. Slapping himself inwardly for even thinking about replacing his body with the laptop (he was strangely jealous of his computer now), he tried to devise a way of getting the damn thing out of Duo's grip.

Finally making up his mind, he dropped his flashlight on the side table and leaning over the bed, he stretched out his hands to grab it. He tugged lightly. Nothing. Frowning, he tugged again, watching in confusion and growing irritation as Duo mumbled something and then gripped the laptop even tighter against him.

_Damn it! _

Heero found himself placing one knee upon the bed to give himself more leverage and biting his lower lip, he pulled on the laptop again. Duo still wouldn't budge. Heero found himself getting angrier and also hopelessly aroused. He was practically straddling Duo now, for both knees were now upon the bed and Duo had flopped upon his back again, the laptop securely within his death-like grip. Heero cursed and found himself sweating. How was he to get this without waking up Duo?

"Let's try this one more time…"

Placing both hands upon the sides not held by Duo, he grunted as he jerked and pulled, his eyes squeezing shut as he willed the contraption to him. If anything the grip tightened and Heero was just about to give it up, when the cold voice froze his movements.

"What are you doing?"

Heero opened his eyes to find violet orbs staring at him with something he couldn't quite define. If it weren't for the coldness of the question, he would have sworn Duo had a look of lust on his face. What answer could he give? What could he say?

"I asked you a question," Duo began again. "What do you think you are…mmmppfffhh!!"

Purple eyes widened in disbelief and shock as warm lips covered his own in what was supposed to be a kiss. The grip on the laptop was slowly reduced as the feel of the mouth he had worshipped from afar sent his emotions spiraling out of control. Duo found himself responding feverishly. He didn't care if this was a dream or not…because quite frankly, if this was a dream, then it was a pretty damn fine one. He groaned weakly as he felt Heero's tongue lick his lower lip and beg for entrance into his mouth. Willingly complying, Duo parted his lips, whimpering in response to Heero's moan, as their tongues met in a dance that was nothing short of fiery.

The laptop they had been fighting for was momentarily forgotten as they crushed hungry lips together, both never wanting to stop this feeling of euphoria that threatened to snap their sanity. Hands searched and clasped each other in a tight grip, taut bodies pressing against each other as the evidence of their arousals throbbed painfully against their stomachs. Finally, feeling like they were going to pass out, they released each other abruptly, panting and gasping for air as eyes filled with confusion met each other for clarification.

"Duo…"

"Heero…I…"

BEEP!!

The loud beep of Duo's alarm clock signaling the dawn of another hour, snapped Heero out of his dazed stupor. Feeling his face heat up at the position he was in, he scrambled off the still prone Duo, his hands reaching quickly for his laptop. Duo didn't trust himself to move for several seconds, until he realized what Heero had done.

Sitting back up with a jerk, he tried to get his bearings back. "Hey! What the fuck do you think you are doing?" The only reply he got, however, was the quick flash of green and black and then the silent thud of his door closing.

He eyed his bed and room for a moment, wondering if this had all been some nasty dream. Raising a trembling hand to his lips, he was unable to stop the small smile that came unto his visage. It hadn't been a dream. His lips were swollen. He had been kissed. And by **Heero Yuy,** no less.

Feeling slightly giddy at the thought, he flopped back unto his bed and sighed softly, his eyes flickering with excitement.

To be kissed by Heero Yuy…and all because of his laptop. Duo grinned wickedly. He would have to think of some other ways to get the stoic boy to do it again.

His last thoughts, as he drifted back to sleep again were a silent apology to his father.

_/ Sorry about this, dad. But it looks like fraternizing with the enemy may just be in the plan after all. /_


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: Do not own the Gundam Wing Characters

Warnings: AU, Shounen-ai, Yaoi

Pairings: 1x2, 3+4

Beta: Veggie Otaku

**CHAPTER EIGHT:**

The sharp clap of thunder followed by the brilliant flash of lightening, caused Heero to bury himself deeper within his blankets. There was no way he was going to class under this condition. No way he was going to class today…period. He peeked his head out of the dark covers and glared at the object of his predicament.

The laptop gazed back innocently.

Heero's frown deepened. "I did not enjoy the kiss, you hear me?! I did not!" As if to emphasize his vehement denial, another loud thunderclap finished off his sentence. Groaning weakly, he covered up his face again and tried to will his stubborn body under control. It was exactly five hours and twenty-two minutes since he had kissed Duo and his mouth still tingled and burned with the memory. He had kept telling himself that he had only done it to make the other boy shut up.

_Nice way to get him to do that, Heero. That was the only plan you could come up with? You could have covered his head with a pillow. Or even run out of the room. But, nooooo, you just had to do that, didn't you?_

"That doesn't mean that I liked it."

_Big fat liar._

A knock on his door snapped him out of his reverie. He sat up on his bed and stared at the black door with his heart pounding fiercely now. He felt his mouth go dry and he had to swallow to work up some moisture into his parched throat. He hoped and prayed it wouldn't be…_him_.

"Who…?" He cleared his throat, angry to find his first attempt at speaking, sounded like a frightened school girl's squeak. "Who is it?"

"Oi! It's me, Duo! You forgot something in my room last night. So being the friendly guy that I am, I decided to bring it back to you."

Heero blinked and thought frantically. What did he leave in Duo's room? He had the laptop that much was certain. So what the hell…?

"Are you going to open up or not?" came the laughing voice.

Duo was mocking him. He probably thought that Heero was too chicken to face him after last night. Well, Heero was not about to allow that to happen. Slipping out of his bed, aware he was still clad in his outfit from last night, he opened the door to face the smirking face of his rival. Quick eyes spanned the casual t-shirt with the words 'Black Sabbath' written on it in gothic-like letters and the blue jeans that hugged lean hips and thighs. Duo, apparently, liked going about on bare feet too. Heero raised his eyes and stared into amused violet depths. He had to grip the edge of his door knob to support his knees, which had threatened to give way. It was a major miracle his face hadn't lost its composure yet. He still looked calm and detached.

"What do you have to give me?" he asked coolly.

Duo, who had been leaning beside a wall, straightened up and grinned. "Aren't you going to invite me in? After all, you got a good look at my place last night…without my permission."

"Give me what is mine and go away, Duo. I am warning you."

The grin turned into a smirk. "Or what? Are you going to hit me? Or lemme guess, try to kiss me again? Tsk, never knew Heero Yuy, would have to resort to such cheap methods to get me to give something up."

Heero bristled and growled softly, his grip on the doorknob threatening to snap the damn thing off its hinges. "What do you mean by that?"

Duo placed his hands on his hips and stuck his face within inches of the other boy. "I mean that if last night's display was supposed to be a kiss, then you are sadly lacking in that department, buddy."

"Are you trying to say that I am not a good kisser?" Heero couldn't believe they were actually having this conversation. This whole thing was turning out to be one weird dream sequence. He watched Duo raise an eyebrow and he suddenly felt like he had to defend himself. He hated the fact that Duo had not enjoyed it as much as he had…

_I DID NOT ENJOY IT!!  
_  
"Well…you said it, not I," Duo said casually, his braid flipping to the front of his shirt. He twiddled idly with the end of it and tapped the…flashlight he had been holding against his thighs. Heero wondered why he hadn't noticed that before. Duo was too distracting.

"Look, I do not have the time to do this…"

"Gosh, your room is pretty dark. Why don't you open up the windows or something?'

And before Heero could say another word, Duo had pushed past him and had now begun making his way towards the closed cream-colored drapes. Flinging them open, both boys were faced with furious winds and rain that rattled strongly against the window panes.

"Bleh…what a day, huh?" Duo said. "And here I was planning to enjoy my horse-riding lessons."

Heero found that he was looking pretty stupid holding out the door for a boy that was apparently not planning to leave anytime soon. Closing the door shut, with his heart still filling his throat, he closed his eyes and counted slowly to ten to get his bearings in order. He could handle this. He could stay alone in a room with his mortal enemy and not choke…

"Did you do this?! Wow!"

Heero opened his eyes and stared at Duo in disbelief. "What the fuck are you doing there?! That is private!"

He made a mad dash for his portfolio, but Duo sidestepped him nimbly, holding the large black book above his head. Laughing gleefully, he watched as Heero tripped over his couch and landed gracelessly upon it. Ignoring the look of death that was thrown at him, Duo flipped open a page and stared at the drawings.

"For someone who is so concerned about privacy, you sure know how to invade someone else's."

Heero finally got the idea. "If you are trying to punish me for coming into your room last night without your permission, then you have gotten your wish. Now give me back my portfolio."

"Hmm…nice apples. Nope, Heero, my friend," Duo replied easily, his eyes still pinned on the book. "You have never dealt with a Maxwell, ne? I do not forgive that easily. You had no right coming into my room. I would have given the stupid thing to you anyway; when I felt like it, but, no, you had to come into my room and invade my space….not to mention that pathetic display you put up as well."

"Fuck you."

Duo peeled his eyes away from the book and stared in mock shock at the furious figure before him. "I beg your pardon, my sensitive ears didn't quite catch that. What did you say again?"

Heero clenched his hands into fists and growled out softly. "I said fuck you, Maxwell. Get the hell out of my room, now!"

"And if I don't?" Duo asked, his own fury rising. He dropped the portfolio to the ground and stared evenly back at the blue depths that blazed before him. "You cannot do anything to me, Yuy. I will crush you like the little bastard that you are. And I wonder how the school authorities are gonna take the news that the almighty Heero Yuy hacked into their systems and disarmed the alarm system AND had the guts to steal from another student! That won't look too good on your resume, I can assure you of that!"

"YOU STOLE MY LAPTOP FROM ME, FOOL!!"

"OH, YEAH, WELL YOU…YOU…ALMOST _RAPED_ ME LAST NIGHT! HA!"

Heero's jaw dropped at the accusation, his face going from crimson to pale in seconds. Duo looked a bit mystified at his statement, but that didn't stop the look of irritation on his face. He watched in growing bemusement as Heero walked away from him to stand beside the window. He noticed the shaking shoulders and blinked. Was the other boy…crying?

"Umm…hey, Heero, look…I didn't mean…"

His words were cut short as the laughter burst out of the brown-haired boy's mouth. Rich laughter filled with mirth that sent shivers of awareness down Duo's spine. Shivers that were quickly replaced with anger.

"What the fuck is so funny?"

Heero wiped a hand across his eyes and spun around to face Duo. "You are. Of all the stupid reasons to give…it had to be rape, ne? And I thought you were an original. How lame."

"Are you calling me stupid?!" Duo bellowed. He was going to punch someone's lights out in seconds.

Heero smirked and folded his arms. "Actually, I am."

"Why, you good for nothing…" With the same speed that had surprised the others at the cafeteria table, Duo struck out a fist to punch into the smirking face before him. His goal was never attained, however, for an even faster one had captured his hand. Duo blinked in disbelief and tried with the other one, only to have the same thing happen. His hands were now gripped tightly within Heero's and both boys were now engaged in a stalemate. Heels dug into the ground, teeth bared, breaths coming out harshly, eyes burning with something they both knew was more than just hate.

"I will fucking kill you, Yuy," Duo grit out coldly.

"Not if I kill you first," Heero responded in kind. And in a sudden move, he kicked out a leg and sent Duo sprawling to the floor. Not to be outdone, Duo stuck out his own leg and ended up sending Heero sprawling across him. Trying to stumble to his feet, Heero tried to flee the mad clutches of the angry boy beneath him. Duo didn't think so. Clutching a fistful of the green tank top, the accompanying rip of material filled the silent room. Duo stared blankly at the piece of green cloth in his hand, while Heero eyed the tattered remains on his body.

"An eye for an eye, Maxwell."

And before Duo could think, he watched as Heero reached for his prized t-shirt and unceremoniously ripped it from scruff to hem, successfully exposing his chest in the process. A gasp of shock went through Duo before the shiver from the cold chill in the room followed. He sat up and stared at the remains of his shirt, clutching them together as if hoping they would somehow miraculously be fixed back again.

"You goddamn bastard. That was my favorite shirt!"

"Tit for fucking tat, Maxwell. This was my favorite too!"

Both boys sat on their haunches and glared at each other. Sweating and quite aware of their current state of undress, which did nothing to hide their state of arousal, Duo stood up abruptly and tried to walk away…which was proving to be quite the painful experience. He had to release himself or he would explode in mere seconds without doing a thing.

Heero couldn't even trust himself to move. He eyed the perfectly shaped figure before him and had to stifle a moan as the memories of being close to Duo's bare skin last night filled his mind. Before he could stop himself, he choked out the next words that wouldn't stop running around in his head.

"What did you mean by my pathetic display last night?"

Duo stiffened and licked his lips. "Which part? Coming into my room or the kissing part?"

"You know what I am talking about, Maxwell."

Oh, Duo knew all right, but he wanted to prolong Heero's torture a bit more. "Look, I know you are not the greatest when it comes to things of the…sexual side, Yuy. After all, everyone knows how repressed your family is, so, yes…I will say that on the scale of one to ten, your kissing ranks in the low ones."

Heero felt like he had been slapped, but he hid it carefully. He was glad Duo wasn't looking his way, or the tell-tale blush of mortification would have been a dead give away. "You seemed to enjoy it last night."

It was Duo's turn to blush. "What makes you say that?"

Heero stood up and walked towards the now frozen figure. With a smirk on his face, he trailed light fingers down the braided boy's back, smiling as the responding gasp and shiver accompanied his actions. "You said I was pathetic, right, Duo?" He whispered huskily, as he leaned in to place a light nip against the exposed neck. An unwilling whimper escaped Duo's lips as his eyes closed. His lips parted as he felt Heero's strong hands press themselves against his hips. He groaned as the lean body behind him ground slowly against his own backside, Heero's lips continuing the slow torture of kissing his neck.

He tried to make a coherent sentence. "I…I…fuck!"

Heero had reached forward and had now placed his hands against the bulging evidence of Duo's arousal. The sharp buck from Duo caused him to thrust in response and before long both boys danced against each other in movements that were nothing short of erotic. Twisting his head around, Duo seized waiting warm lips with his in what must have been a mind blowing one to both of them. Wrapping an arm around Heero's neck and sinking his fingers into the unruly brown locks, they continued their forbidden dance, their kisses becoming more frantic as they gradually approached their peak. Heero stroked the hardened flesh through the coarse cloth, wishing he could do more than that, the pressure of Duo's taut cheeks against his own member caused him to increase his motions.

Oh, god, he was going to come. Releasing his lips from the swollen ones before him, he squeezed his eyes shut as the heady rush of his release came flooding out in a whirlpool of heightened emotions. "Oh…god…" He whispered in an awe-inspired voice, as he felt the sticky wetness fill his shorts and run down his thighs. In mere seconds, Duo released his own essence, watching with dazed eyes as it soaked his jeans and spread its warmth into Heero's palms. Both trembling and unable to stand up any longer, they collapsed to the floor still entangled within each other's arms. Panting and trying to get their breaths back, they both gazed at the ceiling for answers.

Finally, Duo spoke up. "You could have at least taken my pants off. How the hell am I supposed to leave this place now without everyone ogling at me?"

Heero tugged softly at the braid and whispered into Duo's ear, hoping that what he would say would not make him sound too needy. "You don't have to leave…yet…"

Duo stiffened and blinked. Raising himself up, he lay above Heero and stared into the flushed face. "What do you mean by that?"

"I meant…" Heero tried to say again, as he noticed the frown on Duo's face.

_Kuso! He doesn't like you remember, Heero? He was only doing this for payback! Get a fucking grip! _

"Forget it."

"Huh? Oof…hey, take it easy! You don't have to push me so hard!"

Heero had pushed Duo off him and was now making his way towards his closet. Grabbing an extra t-shirt and a pair of jeans, he tossed them to Duo without looking at him. "Put those on. They should fit you."

Duo caught the clothes and stared at the back of the silent Heero. What was the major turn around for? Heero had wanted him to stay and he would have…or would he? It suddenly seemed like everything was going in a blur. One minute they were about to rip each other's heads off, the next minute they were doing the 'Lambada.'1 Sighing deeply, he changed into the offered clothes, gently inhaling the unique scent that was Heero within the soft cotton.

"I am finished," he said quietly as he noticed that Heero still hadn't turned around to face him. Sighing again, Duo picked up his clothes and made his way slowly to the door.

_Aren't you going to ask me to stay?_ his mind begged feverishly. _Don't make me walk out this door. We could be… _

"See you around, I guess," he mumbled softly and listening to the muttered 'Hn' that was his reply, he stumbled out of the now claustrophobic room with burning eyes.

As soon as the soft click of the door shutting was heard, Heero finally slumped his tense shoulders and sank to the floor in defeat, and with a choked sob, he lowered his face into his palms and silently cursed his family name.

&&&&&

Duo made his way blindly down the hallway. He ignored the greetings and smiles that were thrown at him. He didn't want to see anyone at this moment. All he felt like doing was burying or locking himself away in his room and never coming out again. He felt like a total and complete fool. It had taken him nearly an hour to work up the nerve to even go to Heero's room this morning. He had had the perfect plan. Steal a quick kiss and then vanish again. No sweat, right?

_So much for that…  
_  
He had gotten more than he had bargained and it suddenly felt like his heart had been ripped into tiny pieces. Damn that bastard, anyway! Who the fuck needed him?!

He was just about to open up his door when strong hands placed themselves upon his shoulder.

He snarled and raised furious eyes to lash out at the person, when he came face-to-face with knowing green eyes. "Leave me alone, Trowa. I just want to be alone for a while."

"I understand," came the calm reply.

"What the fuck do you know?!" Duo spat out in derision. "You don't know what it's like to be me! I don't need any of your mentor bullshit, right now! Okay?!" He was furious to find the tears streaking down his cheeks. How could he display this much weakness? "I just want to be left the fuck alone!"

Withdrawing himself angrily from Trowa's hold, he opened up his door and slammed it behind him. Sinking to the floor, he buried his face in an arm and pounded his free hand into the floor.

It just wasn't fair.

&&&&

Quatre whistled happily as he came down the hallway towards Duo's room. Since no one was going to class today, he had decided to spend the day with Duo and maybe get Wufei…except that Wufei had threatened to use him as a punching bag and that plan had been scratched out quickly. Hoisting the bag of CDs and books/magazines, he stopped short as he noticed the still figure of Trowa beside Duo's door.

Rushing towards the taller boy, Quatre looked worried. "Is everything all right, Trowa? How is Duo? Is he okay? Is he sick?"

Trowa smiled softly at the frantic look on the blond's face and shook his head. "Duo has some issues he has to solve on his own. He will not be accepting visitors for some time…I think."

"Oh…"

Trowa noticed the long face and placed a reassuring hand upon Quatre's shoulders. "Don't worry, I am sure he will snap out of it soon. Are those CDs I see in there?"

Quatre managed a small smile and nodded. "Yeah…Duo likes to listen to them, so I thought I would bring them over to him. But I guess I will have to take it back…"

"You don't have to."

"What? Do you mean…?"

Trowa shrugged and motioned toward his rooms. "I have a CD player. You can come and hang out with me if you want."

Quatre blinked at the offer, a small blush dusting his pale cheeks. "Umm…if I am not too much of a bother then…sure! Why not?"

A light chuckle escaped the junior's lips as he led the freshman into his room. Giving one last look at Duo's door, he hoped the American wouldn't hide too long in his misery.

&&&&&

"_Good afternoon. I am Amanda Barnes and this is the news at noon. And now our top story. In the ever winding tale of family feuds and hate, the ongoing saga between the Maxwells and the Yuys seems to have no end in sight. Earlier today, there was a deadly shootout between members of each faction. Believed to have begun by a Yuy, one witness claimed that the young man had pulled a weapon and had fired it point blank into the taunting Maxwell. Police are yet to confirm the names of the family members, but as of right now, it is believed to be the nephew of David Maxwell and a cousin of Odin Yuy. Both David and Odin were asked to comment on this incident, but we have gotten no word or statements from their lawyers. Remember to keep it posted on your local channel, for further updates on this case…"_

&&&&

"You sent for me, sir."

"Yes, Murasaki. Prepare a jet for me. I think I will pay my son a little visit."

"Hai!"

&&&&

"Mr. Maxwell, sir."

"Is the private jet ready for take-off?"

"Yes, sir. Everything is ready to go. Mrs. Maxwell is already in the limousine."

"Good."

With a heavy sigh, David Maxwell walked sedately to the windows, his eyes never seeing the pelting rain outside his window.

_I hope you kept your promise, son. You don't know how much I need you now._


	9. Chapter Nine

Disclaimers: Do not own the Gundam Wing Characters.

Warnings: AU, OOC, Shounen ai and Yaoi

Pairings: 2+R, and just a mixture of the rest

Beta: Veggie Otaku

**CHAPTER NINE:**

"Man…Maxwell. You look like hell."

"Thanks, Wuffie. Remind me to give you tips on how to achieve the same look later."

The Chinese boy snorted and focused his mind back on the beakers in front of him. He had a genuine concern for the American. Duo had walked into chemistry class with a look that bordered on sickly. The usual vivacious banter hadn't been heard. The wide smile (too wide in Chang's opinion) was not there. In short, Duo looked…_lifeless._ Wufei frowned. He wondered if the news had gotten to the Maxwell heir yet. If that was the problem, then he could understand Duo's reason for being morose.

Watching as the clear acidic solution turned blue, he pushed the goggles off his nose and raised them to the top of his head. He slid a wary glance in the Japanese boy's direction. Heero looked pretty much the same as he always did, but Wufei was good at reading people and he knew that the blank, empty stare looked a whole lot bleaker today. His eyes darted back and forth between the two rivals, his quick mind calculating what could possibly have gone wrong. Heero had come into class first that morning, and had moved straight to the last lab desk, away from most of the other tables. Duo had walked in late and had made himself quite comfortable beside Wufei, right in front of the teacher's nose. They were as far apart from each other as possible. Both boys had not even given each other a look, but Wufei attributed it to their ongoing feud.

A light puff of smoke from his companion's experiment jerked him out of his reverie. Duo's mixture had exploded.

"Hn…" Duo muttered dully. "I guess I put in too much saline. Gotta wash it out…"

In movements that were nothing short of automated, Wufei watched as Duo poured out the failed attempt, rinsed and dried his beaker and then refilled it with the acid. Wufei had had enough. "Look…is there something bothering you, Maxwell? I know we are not close or anything, but you can talk to me about…"

"Is there a problem over there, Master Chang?"

"Uh…no. No problem, Professor Snow. I was just checking to see if my analysis was correct."

"Well, get back to work or I will fail you for talking!"

Wufei muttered a low 'bastard' and continued with his work. "We will continue this after class, Duo," he whispered. "And then I want answers, okay?"

A nonchalant shrug was all he received in response.

&&&&

Heero's body couldn't be any tenser if he tried. His body tingled with awareness. Everyone was whispering and pointing towards him. He hated it. It was bad enough having to go through that traumatic experience with Duo the other day and now two days later, all the stolen glances and suspicious behavior around him was threatening to snap his sanity.

He glared into his laptop screen and typed away. His report for Professor Treize was almost complete and he did not need any distractions at the moment.

"Hi, Heero. Mind if I join you?"

"Hn."

"Riiiight," came the amused reply, before the green-eyed girl plopped herself down on the library chair beside him. "We were supposed to study together, weren't we?"

When she still got no response from the Japanese, she sighed and began to open up her own laptop. "I am really sorry about the news, you know. I figure you must be going through a really rough time right now. I mean I don't know how I would feel having to lose a family member in such a way."

Heero's typing stopped and those blue depths pinned themselves on the green ones before him. "What are you talking about?"

Julie looked a bit floored, but quickly recovered. "Haven't you heard the news? I would have guessed you would have by now…"

Heero's patience was wearing thin. "What news?"

"The news about…"

"Master Heero Yuy?"

The two students snapped their heads up to stare at the senior before them. The grave look on the older boy's face sent a tinge of worry and fear down Heero's spine. His hands tightened into clenched fists and maintaining his calm composure, he replied. "Yes?"

"Lord Byron would like to see you in his office. If you would please follow me?"

Nodding in response, Heero packed up his equipment quickly, his mind racing and churning with the million and one reasons for his summons. Julie had said something about losing a family member. Could something have happened to his father? Oh, Kami forbid! He had not even given his father a call since his arrival and now…

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Heero tore his eyes away from his books and stared blankly at the girl. Shrugging, he replied smoothly. "Do what you like."

Julie needed no second prodding. In a flash, she was right beside him as they quickly made their way towards Randolph Hall. She was aware of the stares that accompanied their movements and she felt a bit smug. She wasn't Heero's 'friend' by any means, but he wasn't encouraging nor discouraging her attempts. She was quite content with that and besides; she had a feeling that Heero might have already set his sights on someone else. Someone she was well acquainted with. She slid a wary glance towards him and noticed for the first time the bags of fatigue beneath his eyes. The boy looked tired and drawn. Behind that cool, icy façade lay a boy who was just as human as the rest of them. A small smile of understanding crossed her face, and without giving it a second thought, she placed a hand of reassurance on his arm. She wasn't surprised at the flinch that occurred, but she was quite pleased that he had not shrugged it off either.

Heero Yuy needed a friend and she was determined to fill that position.

&&&&

"And then Trowa says…"

Duo groaned as Quatre's incessant chatter, usually beginning with the phrase 'And Trowa says', finally grated on his nerves. Obviously, the Arabian and resident adviser extraordinaire were hitting it off. Waaaay off, in Duo's opinion. The blond boy couldn't stop talking about him. Duo felt he should have been relieved at the fact that Quatre wasn't paying so much attention to him anymore, but instead, a well of resentment filled his being. Here was happy-go-lucky Quatre already finding common ground with someone he genuinely liked and what was he, Duo Maxwell, stuck with? A headache the size of a space colony and now Relena approaching him with red-rimmed eyes.

She looked like she had been crying. Hoping and praying she wasn't about to heap another pile of boyfriend troubles on his head, he braced himself against the lockers they had been standing at, and watched her walk up to him.

"What's up, Lena?" he asked monotonously. Wufei was right. He did feel like hell. And he had one blue-eyed bastard to thank for that.

Relena sniffed and dabbed at her eyes again. "Can I talk to you alone? For one moment, please?

"Is everything all right, Relena?" Quatre asked, finding the time to pause his speech. "You look pale."

Relena flashed a small smile towards his direction. "Don't mind me. I just need to talk to Duo alone for a while. I hope you don't mind."

Quatre nodded and excused himself. "I will be at the library if you need me, Duo."

"Sure, no problem, Q-man," came the response, before a strong hand took the girl's arm and led her towards an empty classroom. Shutting the door behind them, he sat upon a desk and stared at the sniffling Peacecraft. "Are you going to tell me what's going on or do I have to do the guessing game?"

"Don't you even care?!" Relena blurted out in exasperation. "For, Christ's sake, it's your cousin that died! Peter was killed! Shot! To death! By some…some…argh! I hate this whole family feud thing! It is making me sick! And innocent people have to die because of all of this bullshit! I hate it! Hate it!" She finally collapsed into harsh sobs, her breath hitching painfully in her throat. She sank into a chair and buried her face against the table. She never noticed the deathly pale look on her friend's face.

"Pe…Peter? How…When…Who…?"

"A YUY! A FUCKING YUY!" Relena screamed out in frustration. Banging her hands across the desk, she stood up and glared at Duo. "I don't understand this. I don't understand it at all. You have to speak to your father! Someone has to speak to your father or Heero's father! I don't care who! I can't take any more of this…this…"

"What the fuck do you want me to do?!" Duo screamed back. He wanted to lash out at something, anything. The pain was too much for him to bear. Peter Maxwell had been like an older brother to him. They had shared everything together and now…

"What the fuck do you expect me to do?" he whispered in a pain-filled voice, before sinking slowly to the ground. "What does it matter what I do or say. You know how my father is. I can't get him to change his mind about anything. He is as stubborn as they come."

Relena sat next to him and cradled his head against her chest. His sobs came out in a rush, the anguish and sorrow of losing a loved one filling his young body with an overwhelming intensity. Brushing the chestnut hair before her gently, Relena placed a light kiss on his head and continued softly.

"It doesn't end there, Duo."

A muffled 'What?' from Duo was heard.

"Your parents are in town…"

Duo's head jerked back up and he stared at the knowing eyes before him.

_Fuck! This ruined everything._

"My dad called and told me about it. They are having Petey's funeral at the local church downtown. I guess they will come to pick you up and all."

"Aren't you coming?" Duo asked, as he wiped a hand across his tear-streaked face. "I need you there, Relena."

The brown-haired girl sighed and raised her knees up to her chin. "Yes, I will be there. Petey was my friend too, you know."

A comfortable silence fell between them as they stared at the carpeted floor. Thoughts of what could and could not be filled the air. Finally, with a heavy sigh, Relena stood up and offered her hand to Duo.

"Come on, D. Let's go study for drama. That should keep our minds busy until you are called, ne?"

Duo managed a weak smile and allowed himself to be raised to his feet. "Yeah, I guess so. So, what parts are we playing anyway?"

Relena gave a shaky laugh and opened the door. "What else…Romeo and Juliet."

&&&&

Odin Yuy stared at the couple. From his high vantage point in the administrative offices, Lord Byron's office to be exact, he could make out two boys stealing kisses and coy smiles at each other in the gardens below. He felt a well of disgust rise up his throat and he all but smashed the window in his anger.

"You allow such activities to go on in your school, Lord Byron?" he asked coldly.

"I beg your pardon?" The white-haired headmaster asked in bemusement. "What activities?"

Odin sneered and pointed. "Those activities. Homosexuality. Relationships between members of the same…"

"I know what homosexuality is, Mr. Yuy. You do not have to lecture to me. And yes, it is permitted. If it is their choice, then who are we to stop them?"

The billionaire snorted and spun away from his position. Walking around the room in evenly paced steps, which in turn gave Lord Byron a major headache, he clasped his hands behind his back and began to rant.

"Such behavior should at least be kept behind doors and not displayed for the entire public to see. I do not see or understand the need for such…irresponsible behavior. It is uncouth for a school of this caliber!"

"Odin Yuy…" Byron said softly. "Randolph has changed a whole lot since you last attended. Times and people have changed. One cannot keep on living in the past, you have got to adapt to the changes around you. That is the way of life."

"Do not preach to me, old man! I can buy and sell this school ten times over. I could have you removed and replaced…"

Byron sighed. He had heard this particular complaint before. If he could count the number of times he had been threatened with his job, he would be a far lot richer than Odin Yuy, that much was certain. He had an idea on why Odin had decided to grace them with his impromptu visit. He had heard the news about the death of his nephew and naturally he sensed that the older Yuy was going through a period of grief, although from his current actions, one could barely recognize it as mourning. Byron was well schooled in Odin's emotions, after all, the man had once been his student. He could still remember the day the news had come of his mother's death.

Odin had never been the out-going friendly type. In fact, Byron was sure that Odin had had no friends in this school or if he had, he had never heard about them. He had summoned the then sixteen-year-old into his office. He had tried to downplay the incident, had tried to make it as easy as possible for the young man. When Byron had finally uttered the damned phrase,

'I am really sorry…but your mother passed away earlier this morning. The doctors…they said, she died peacefully."

He had paused, waiting to see if that would garner any reaction from him. Nothing. Those dark eyes had stared blankly at him. It was as if Byron had just announced that it was lunchtime. A tense silence had filled the air, before Odin had finally spoken in that oh, so grating monotonous voice.

'_Thank you for the news.'_

Thank you. That had been all. Byron sighed and eyed the grown man before him. Odin had not shown his grief outwardly, instead everything had gone into overworking himself. He had been determined to be the best at everything. Second place had not been an option.

The sound of the door opening and the mass of light gray hair that peeked in, froze Odin in mid-rant.

"I am so sorry to interrupt your discussion, sir, but your son is here."

Byron watched with interest as Heero walked into the office and immediately stuck out his hand for a handshake. No hugs and no smile either. Byron felt a dull ache rise within his chest. Odin's father had been pretty much the same. He could not recall a day when he had seen the older Yuy show any sign of affection for his heir.

_And so the circle continues._

He got up from his seat and smiled at the brown-haired boy. "Hello, Master Heero. I am sure you and your father will be needing your privacy. So, I will be in the outside offices if you need me. Good day." And nodding once, he left the two men alone.

For several minutes, nothing was said as father and son stared at each other. Heero had barely been able to contain his relief. His father wasn't the one dead after all. He had wanted nothing more than to give his father a hug, but he knew that it would be seen as a sign of weakness. If there was anything, Odin Yuy could not stand it was the touchy feely emotions.

"Heero."

"Father."

Odin nodded at the calm reply and then motioned for Heero to sit on one of the office chairs. Obeying silently, Heero sat as still as a statue on the seat, his features never betraying the heavy thud of fear and concern in his heart. Odin sat down as well and pursed his lips, his dark eyes flickering to the other inanimate objects in the room. Finally settling them upon his heir, he stated out flatly.

"Your cousin was shot. Killed by a Maxwell."

Heero remained motionless. "Which cousin?"

"Your cousin, Masaki. The one who was to take you to L3 for the upcoming Colony Economic Fair. The one you called brother."

Odin wasn't sure of what his son's reaction was going to be. He was proud of the way Heero tended to handle things of such disastrous nature in stride. Martha had chided him for that, stating that Heero needed to expend his emotions more. Odin had scoffed and had almost fired the older woman, but he couldn't stop the small tinge of worry that floated down his spine at the cold look that filled the young man's face. Heero looked homicidal. A small voice at the back of Odin's head pleaded for Heero to erase that look. He didn't want the young boy to become…

_Shut up! He is fine! He can handle it!_

Odin stood up and paced to the window. "Funeral arrangements have been made for this Saturday and naturally, you are going to attend."

"I cannot."

Odin spun around and stared in disbelief at the clipped words that had been uttered from the boy's mouth. "What did you say?"

Heero stood up and glared at his father. "I have classes on Saturday. I cannot make it to the funeral."

"Are you out of your goddamn mind, boy? This is your cousin we are talking about, not some extra appendage to the family fortune! You are coming and that is final!"

Father and son stared down each other for several tense minutes, eyes blazing with unspoken emotions. The last time Heero had stood up to his father, the consequences had been quite severe. But Heero didn't quite care at the moment. A certain long-haired boy filled his mind at this time.

"Who instigated it?" he asked icily.

Odin gasped and sputtered angrily. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said…who instigated it?!"

"What has that got to do with…?"

"Answer me!"

"Fine! If it means that much to you, your cousin started it and only because that damned Maxwell started it!"

"Was this Maxwell called Peter?" Heero asked, his body trembling as he prepared himself for what he was about to hear and say.

Odin shrugged and ran a hand across his hair. "Yes…I guess it was…why?"

Heero closed his eyes and sent a silent prayer to his cousin. "Did you know that Masaki was…" He swallowed tightly, before continuing. "Did you know that Masaki was…gay?"

Odin tightened his lips into a thin line of disapproval. "Well, I guess I know now, don't I? That stupid, irresponsible…"

"Did you know he was having an affair with another man…and that he was so afraid that you wouldn't approve, that he resorted to taking drugs to calm himself down? Did you know that he was so afraid of what you might do to him, that he had to leave the colony just to see the one he loved more than anyone else in the world? Did you know that he was in love with a Maxwell?! The one he died with?!"

Odin's eyes widened as Heero's voice rose with each sentence. The anger, hurt and frustration gushing out of his lips in a rushed flow, an unwilling trail of tears now spilling out of his eyes.

"Masaki spoke to me. He called me on the night before I left for college. And do you know what he told me, father? He said he would rather die than forsake Peter. He said if it became too bad, they would both die together! And it did! And now they are both _dead_! Kami! I HATE this godforsaken family!"

And not waiting to see his father's reaction, he ran blindly out of the office. The tears blurred his vision as he ran past the concerned Julie amongst others. He didn't care where he ran to. He just couldn't stop. He had to get away. Away from the pain. Away from the hurt. Away from that huge obstacle called 'family.' He wanted to die. He was outside now, the cold lash of the early evening air biting against his wet skin. He tried to gasp in precious air into his overexerted lungs. His legs could barely hold up any longer and finally collapsing to the ground in exhaustion, Heero Yuy buried his face within the sweet-smelling grass and wept.

&&&&

"So how long will you be gone?"

"A couple of days… I think."

"Oh."

Duo snapped the small carryall bag closed and turned around to face his audience. Quatre, Wufei, and Trowa all stood in his room. They had come to say goodbye, since Duo's limousine had arrived for him. Trowa and Wufei had blank looks on their faces, while Quatre looked like he was about to bawl out any minute.

Smiling in reassurance, he slipped into his long black coat and hoisted the bag across his shoulder. "I hereby place you in charge of my room, Quatre. Anything you do or confiscate will be apprehended by my ghost in the future, so be warned!"

This banter got a smile from Trowa, a chuckle from Quatre and a look of exasperation from Wufei.

"You take care of yourself, Maxwell. We will be here when you get back."

"Why, Wu-chan…I didn't know you cared…"

Wufei growled and tried to grab Duo in a headlock but was quickly interrupted by the knock on his door. Another student peeked in and announced. "Master Maxwell, the driver is still waiting."

"Yeah, yeah…I am coming. Ready, guys?"

The four boys made their way down the spiral staircase and out to the waiting black car. Relena was already seated so she smiled and waved at them. "Took you long enough," she teased. "Big Bill was about to buy his own coffin."

"No kidding?" Duo snickered as Bill took the bag away from him. Turning once again to face his friends, he nodded. "You have my hotel room number, if you need to talk to me. Just be careful, the big bad gruff voice that picks up will probably be my father, but don't let him scare ya, he is just a big ol' softie inside."

This earned a sharp unladylike bark of laughter from Relena and Duo glared at her albeit mockingly. "Oh, well, you guys remain cool until I get back, okay?"

"You take care too, Duo," Quatre responded, before surprising everyone and grabbing Duo in a hug. "We are going to miss you."

"Quatre…I will be gone for only two days." Duo slid a glance to Trowa for help.

The junior smiled softly and walked up to grab the shoulders of the Arabian. "Come on, Quatre. I think you can peel yourself off Duo for now."

Quatre blushed and stepped away. Wufei stuck out his hand for a handshake and was mortified to find himself encased in a bear hug. "I love you, Wufei! Don't you ever, ever forget me!"

"Maxwell!" Wufei sputtered out indignantly against his chest. "Let me go or I will bash your brains in!"

"Okay, okay…geesh. So hard to get some love around here." Smirking at the red-faced Chinese boy, he waved goodbye to the others and stepped into the car. He and Relena spun around to wave a final farewell as they made the turn towards the main gates. Finally losing sight of the others, they sat back and stared quietly out of the windows.

The sudden stop of the car caused Duo to snap out of his light doze. He frowned as he noticed that they hadn't moved off of the school grounds yet. Pushing the communication button, he asked the driver in bemusement. "What's the hold-up, Big Bill?"

"I am not sure, Master Duo. It seems like they are moving some horses or something along the road…it is causing a major holdup."

Duo cursed beneath his breath and turned to notice that Relena had already passed out in exhaustion. Poor kid. Duo smirked and stared out of his window again. He took in the beautiful landscape and sighed. He hadn't really had a chance to explore the school grounds yet. He would have to do that sometime.

_Petey…what happened? How could they do that to you?  
_  
He struggled to swallow the huge lump that was now stuck in his throat again. He tried to conjure up the hate for the other family. Tried to will himself to get some sort of negative energy towards them, but to his dismay, he could muster none up. He knew his father was expecting him to have such angry emotions and reactions to the death and to be honest, Duo was upset. But he couldn't find himself getting upset at any Yuy in particular. However, that small voice at the back of his head already knew who his father expected him to lash out against.

_Heero… _

He closed his eyes and relived the moments in the stoic boy's room. The passion, lust and need they had felt for each other could not be denied, no matter how much they both tried to hide behind the 'I don't give a damn about you' attitude. Just thinking of his name alone, was enough to send Duo into a mass of hypersensitive nerves. He wanted to be with Heero again. Even if it meant making a major fool out of himself again.

_Yeah, like that's gonna happen. He couldn't wait for you to leave his room the other day, so why the hell do you think he feels the same way?  
_

He opened his eyes and wound the windows of the limousine down. He needed some fresh air. Sticking his head out of one, he tried to catch a glimpse of what the hold up was. Violet eyes roamed the chaotic scene before him. Some guards and other civilians were trying to move the upturned truck full of hay to the side of the road and they were making good time. Duo figured they would be out of there in no time.

Sighing, he was just about to stick his head back into the car, when his eyes caught the flash of white behind one of the many trees that graced the long avenue. For a moment he thought he was seeing things and he kicked himself for allowing his heart to race faster at the thought of whom it might be. But the trembling nerves refused to slow down. He found himself gripping the edge of the door handle as he strained his vision. There it was again! There was someone standing beside the trees. Someone dressed in the normal school uniform, but with the blazer now hanging on a finger over his shoulder. Someone with dark brown tousled hair. Someone with blazing blue depths, that even from the distance between them, burned a searing hole right through Duo's heart.

"Heero," came the unconscious soft whisper, before he yelped in surprise as Relena plopped her head against his shoulder to stare out of the window as well.

"Wha…what's happening?" she asked groggily. "Why aren't we moving?"

Duo craned his neck a bit to answer, noting that their noses bumped against each other. "Nothing, Lena. We should be moving in no time. Seems like the horses are in the way."

Relena muttered a quick 'Oh,' before slipping back into her spot. Duo, turned his attention back to the figure, only to discover to his surprise and disappointment that his rival had disappeared. The sudden jerk of the car moving did nothing to quell his moroseness and sinking back into his seat, he willed away the scream of frustration that coursed through him.

&&&&

Heero had finally acknowledged his surroundings after several minutes of dispelling his grief. He had sat up and removed his blazer, noting that it was in dire need of dry cleaning. Rising shakily to his feet, he had walked towards the noise and leaned against a tree, watching the frantic actions of the people around him. Cars from visitors and teachers needing to leave the school grounds were beginning to pile up now and Heero guessed his father would probably be amongst them.

Speaking of his father, he had a lot of explaining to do later on.

Slinging the blazer over his shoulders, he was about to walk back to the dorms, when his eye had caught the black limousine with the distinguishing emblem on it.

_The Maxwell Insignia…_

There was no disguising that well-known symbol with the intricate letter 'M' in the middle. Heero frowned. Perhaps Duo's father had come to visit Duo as well. He wondered if that heir had fared any better with his father. Heero was willing to bet that Duo would have been more responsive. That Duo would have cried and his father would have hugged him and whispered words of comfort and…

His eyes widened as the window rolled down and the undeniable chestnut-colored hair stuck itself out. His mouth went dry. His heart beat increasing with each breath he took. His hands seeking, longing to reach across the wide expanse of space between them to touch and feel that strong body against his again. His knees almost gave way as those beautiful violet orbs finally trained their gaze on him. Time stood still as unspoken emotions hung heavily in the air. To Heero, nothing else seemed to exist except for Duo Maxwell…and he was probably going to burn in hell for that.

"Duo," he whispered softly, before the sharp ache of pain seared through him at the sight that quickly followed. Another head had peeked out of the car and had rested itself upon Duo's shoulder. And then to make things even worse, Duo had…had…

The hot flare of jealousy and envy filled his being and with a growl, he spun away and walked briskly towards the dorms. He didn't want to see. He didn't need to see anymore. He had no place in Duo Maxwell's life.

He would never have a place, for Relena Peacecraft filled that position quite well.


	10. Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: Do not own the Gundam Wing Characters

Warnings: AU, Shounen ai and Yaoi

Pairings: 1+2

Beta: Veggie Otaku

To: JJ (/cackles/ shoot me down if ya like, I dare ya!), Autum, Makiko Igami (/blinks/ stole your idea???), Shadow, ChibiDestyNova (-…confusing people is my specialty LOL), NightWings, FuuAlpha, Morfina (/grabs coffee/ no need to get depressed…/realizes she sounds like her mother…O.o;;/), mumei (here ya go, hope this makes you feel better ), SakumaRyuichi, baka-sama (/gags her with a spoon/…arrgggh…not the Chinese Water Torture!!!), RenegadePhoenix (/glomps back/ you are most welcome ), Ashes (/wants a duo figurine/ ;;), RavenWings, Shadowess, tsuki tenshi, noodlepower (O.O;;…umm…kicking Heero's father might not be such a good idea…), April Aries (I guess the world will just have to go on thinking it was another meaningless feud…unless something happens…) Yui Koshiro (yes! There will be a lemon! And I promise it will be worth the wait ), Lura Maxwell, kitneko (/accepts sticky chocolate/ no…no…Relena glomping Heero here…not allowed), Du-chan, Yonaka no Ino-Ryuu, Forever 1x2, watermage, Shinigami (I thought I had given a brief reason for why the families were in a feud in the first chapter…although I feel another twist coming along…), Syira, and to my wonderful Zandra (/hands over a tissue and chews on cheesecake/…you sure do know how to make one's muses…umm…jump to attention…/smirks/, don't you?)…THANK YOU!!

And now…back to our regularly scheduled program…

**CHAPTER TEN:**

He zipped up his fly and flushed the toilet, watching in mute fascination as the water swirled and danced around the pristine porcelain. Walking over to the sink, he filled his palms with the sweet-smelling soap, lathering up very well to get the dirt out. Rinsing them, he decided to splash some on his face, needing the coolness of the liquid to caress the hot skin. Raising red-rimmed and tired violet eyes to the ornate mirror before him, he groaned at his appearance. He looked like shit.

A light knock on the door snapped him out of his thoughts. "Hey, Duo? You in there? Your father wants you."

_Great. Another heart-to-heart talk with daddy dearest._ "Be right out!"

Patting his face dry and brushing rough fingers through his hair to give himself some sort of a presentable appearance, he straightened out his black suit and made his way to the door.

"About time you came out. What were you planning to do, drown yourself in the toilet?"

Duo smiled wanly at the black-clad girl before him. "Would have done the world a favor there, wouldn't I? Where is my dad, anyway?"

"He is currently speaking to the von Burens," Relena muttered softly as she draped an arm around Duo's. "I gotta say, the caviar is great."

"We are supposed to be mourning, Lena. Not admiring the food," Duo scolded gently. He automatically gave small smiles and nods to passing guests, hearing the same words of 'Sorry for the loss' over and over again. He wanted to scream.

"Oops! I am off." Relena released her arms and made a roundabout turn towards the gardens. Duo blinked before realizing that Eleanor Maxwell was now making her way towards him. (Obviously, Relena was escaping. Talking to Eleanor was not part of her plan this evening.) His eyes went soft with love. His mother was a stunning creature and now even dressed in the plain black suit and hat, her grace and elegance never ceased to take his or anyone else's breath away. Caressing violet eyes took in the pale-faced boy before her and sighed.

"Have you eaten anything at all, Duo, sweetheart?" She asked in her unique husky voice. Duo always thought it sounded like bells tinkling. "You don't look so well. I can hardly blame you anyway, this whole thing…it is quite upsetting. Peter was like a son to me."

"Yeah, mom. I guess I lost my appetite. Have you seen Helen anywhere?" Helen was the older child and sister to Duo.

Eleanor shook her head and sipped the glass of wine in her dainty grasp. "No, sweetheart. I did see Tony and the kids in the gardens, so I guess they probably went there."

"I'll go check up on them," Duo responded quickly. He could see his father approaching and he didn't feel like talking to the older man at the moment. Giving his mother a quick kiss on the cheek, he left the stifling confines of the large ballroom and made his way towards the lush gardens that graced the hotel's backdrop. The late evening breeze brushed against his body, causing him to pause to gather in a lungful of air. It was turning out to be a beautiful sunset and Duo found himself walking towards it. His steps took him past the main gardens and out to the long pathway that separated the hotel grounds and the beach before it. Leaning against the rails, he sighed and let his thoughts wander.

He and Relena had arrived at the hotel late yesterday and had had to sit through hours of gushing and rants and tears. Their hotel room had been filled with well-wishers and mourners, all wanting to express their grief and sadness. Naturally, some of the media had been there, all wanting to cover the funeral proceedings of a Maxwell. Duo shuddered. They were like gluttons and vultures. Craving for any attention and story. He hadn't gone to bed till about three in the morning, only to wake up at seven to prepare for the funeral. A quick family breakfast, which comprised of seven grumpy adults and two tantrum-pulling children, followed by the hour long drive to the church and then the three hour service, followed by the extra hour at the graveyard, culminated in one very fatigued Duo Maxwell, who wanted nothing more than to bury himself somewhere and never get up again.

He hadn't even found the time to think of his rival. Or anything else for that matter, but the sudden memory of blazing blue eyes staring at him, sent a weak whimper of need through his lips. He, unconsciously, traced a finger across his lips, the thought of Heero's mouth teasing, caressing, and tasting him sending the hot rush of desire to his groin.

_Oh, father. If only you knew…_

"If only I knew what?"

Duo blinked. Had he said that aloud? Spinning around sharply, he stared dumbfounded at the smiling face before him. "Da...dad?" he stuttered weakly. "I…I didn't see you come by."

"That's because you were so busy staring at that blue expanse of endless possibilities ahead of you…"

Duo raised an eyebrow.

"The beach, my boy."

Sometimes, Duo could swear his father loved to hear himself talk. "So, what brings you out here?" he asked as flippantly as he could.

David placed a strong arm across his son's shoulders and pulled him close. He noticed the tense flinch from Duo, but refused to budge. Both men stared at the dying sunset, the golden hues creating a wonderful display of colors and beauty that was simply breathtaking. Duo wished he could share it with someone else.

"You have been avoiding me," David finally said, his eyes not leaving the scene. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

David's grip tightened and Duo winced slightly in pain. "Don't play dumb with me, boy. I have seen that look in your eyes."

Duo felt a slight chill. "Lo…Look?" _Goddammit! Was it that obvious?_

He suddenly found himself staring into his father's dark eyes as David had spun him around. A question hung in the air between them and it was taking all of Duo's strength not to quiver beneath the intense glare.

"Yes, Duo. That look. That look you always have when you have been caught doing something that you shouldn't have. What have you been up to? This wouldn't have anything to do with your cousin's death now, would it?"

A frown crossed Duo's face. "What are you trying to say, father?"

David pursed his lips and leaned against the rails. Training those shining dark orbs on his son's now trembling being, he smirked. "I took the liberty of going through your late cousin's things earlier in the week and do you know what I discovered, Duo my boy?"

Duo had a bad feeling that he was in for the shock of his life…or something worse.

Not waiting for Duo to answer, David continued. "I saw something that made me sick to my stomach, Duo. And do you know what that was?"

His voice was calm. Too calm and Duo knew what that meant. David Maxwell was extremely angry. Whatever Peter had had in his room was enough to get the burly man this mad, and Duo wondered what could possibly be the case. Maybe a stash of porn magazines?

"He had letters."

Duo blinked and stared at his father in disbelief. "Letters? That's it?! What the hell…?"

David raised a hand to silence the tirade. "Not just any ordinary letter, Duo. These were letters from…from…"

Duo watched his father's face redden and then his hands clenched into tight fists. "These were letters from Masaki Yuy!" He finally blurted out.

"Isn't that…?"

"Yes, it is!" David bellowed. "The same moronic fool that killed your cousin!"

"But why…how?"

"Don't ask me, son. I am just as clueless as you are."

Silence reigned for several minutes, before something clicked in Duo's brain. Frowning, he spun to face his father again. "What kind of letters were they? Do you think I could take a look at them to see…?"

"I burnt them all."

Duo stared incredulously at the older man. "You what?!"

David raised himself to his full height and folded his arms, his eyes not quite reaching the angry purple depths before him. "I burnt them all. They were of no use to me or to anyone else for that matter."

"My God! Didn't it even cross your mind that maybe those were personal and private to Peter? How could you just burn off things that do not even belong to you?!"

"In case you have forgotten, Duo Maxwell, your cousin is DEAD! He will never have the right to say anything anymore as long as he is six feet under!"

Duo sputtered and stared in shock at the man he called father. The cold fury and rage buried within him threatened to spill out in one quick blow towards the smirking visage, when the cold voice stopped his movements.

"Nice going, dad. You just know how to rub it in, don't ya?" Helen Maxwell stood off to the side, her own arms folded with a frown of displeasure etched on her beautiful face. Short, cropped brown locks flitted in the wind, as dark blue eyes glowered at the older man. Just as elegant as her mother, Helen could be a formidable presence when she chose to be, especially when it came to people hurting her little brother's feelings. "By the way, mom wants you back in the room. Seems like some of the guests are getting a bit antsy."

David growled in disdain before walking back towards the lights and guests. Duo stared at the retreating back with pain, his eyes brimming with tears. Sometimes his dad's actions could hurt him more than mere blows ever could. A warm and reassuring arm enclosed him and he found himself sobbing into his sister's chest.

"How could he do that?" he muttered against her. "How could he be so cruel?"

"Shssh…there now. Don't you go crying over that big oaf. He just likes to through his weight around for the wrong reasons."

"But, I don't get it," Duo said in exasperation as he raised his tear-streaked face to stare at the friendly one before him. "Why would Dad do something like that? I mean…I thought he loved Peter."

Helen sighed and smoothed the chestnut-colored bangs on her sibling's face. "Peter was…I don't know if I should tell you this, but…" She sighed again and turned to face the ocean. Her cobalt depths twinkling with unshed tears. "Peter was gay, Duo."

"He was?" came the astonished reply. "How come he never told me that?"

"He didn't want to hurt your feelings or anything. And besides, he thought you would open your big fat mouth and spill it to Dad."

"Hey! I do not have a big…"

Helen placed a lean finger against his lips. "That is not the point, Duo dearest. The point is Peter swung that way and I guess father was pretty upset about it. And that's why…that is why he burnt the letters." She finished softly, waiting for the enormity of the situation to sink into the young boy's mind.

Duo's eyes widened. "Are you trying to say…to say that…?"

Helen nodded. "Yep, lil' bro. Peter and Masaki were one hot item. Here, I have something to show you." Reaching into her purse, Duo watched as she brought out a small, roughly packaged item. Opening up the white tissue, she raised the sparkling, crystal-like locket, smiling at the accompanied gasp that spilled from Duo's lips.

"A beauty, isn't it?"

Duo nodded numbly. Helen raised his hand and placed the locket into his palm. "Read what's inside." She cajoled softly.

With hands that trembled slightly, the heir opened the heart-shaped encasement, his lips mouthing the inscription written in dainty calligraphy.

'_To the one that holds the key to my heart._

_Our love forever blooming, for all eternity._

Mine for all time…'

_M.Y.'_

"Masaki Yuy…" He whispered as his finger traced the initials. He swallowed the lump that got stuck in his throat, his eyes blurring again. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched the locket deep within his palms, never feeling the pain that seared through his body. He knew what he had to do now. He couldn't put it off any longer.

"Helen…" He began, but was surprised at the grin that was presented to him as he opened up his eyes.

"You can slip through the back. I will cover up for you until you leave. I think Big Bill should be waiting for you."

"How did you know?"

Helen ruffled his hair playfully. "Hey, I am your big sister. I should know everything, right? Now move it! You better leave before time runs out. He won't be waiting for you forever."

Duo nodded and gave his sister a big hug of relief. "I don't know if I am doing the right thing, but I have got to try."

"You are doing the right thing. Just don't make the mistake our fath…I mean, the same mistakes Peter and Masaki did."

Duo frowned at the slip. "What do you mean the same mistake our father did?"

"No time to ask questions, Duo!" She chided, as she pushed him up and away from her. "Go now! Dad will soon start looking for you."

"Right."

Giving her one last hug, he darted through the throng of guests, careful to avoid his parents, straight to his room. With hands that trembled with fear and nerves, he pulled out his bag and began to stuff the meager belongings he had brought with him. His heart almost stopped as he heard the knock on his door. Keeping still, he waited until the muffled voice of 'Room Service' came through the oak barrier. Releasing a pent-up breath, he snapped his bag closed and made his way towards the second exit route. This door led to a stairwell that ended up at the back of the hotel, a perfect escape route for anyone wishing to escape from paparazzi. Running down the stairs, double-time, he skidded to a stop as he approached the metal doors. Sure enough, there was Big Bill as chirpy as ever, waiting for him. Duo had never been so glad to see anyone in his life.

Surprising the older man, Duo crushed him into a bear hug and not waiting to see the man's reaction, he slid into the back seat of the Sedan (The limousine would have to be put aside for a while). On second thought…

"Gimme the keys, Big Bill."

The driver stuttered and looked stunned. "What? I cannot do that, Master Duo. What will your father think?"

Duo's eyes pleaded with the man he had known all his life. "Please, Bill. I have got to get back to school fast!"

"But Master Duo…"

"Pleeeeeaaaaaaase!! I will do anything you ask of me! I am on my fucking knees, Big Bill!"

Shaking his head and sighing in resignation, the keys were unceremoniously snatched from his hands and before he could even say a word of warning, Duo had given him a quick victory sign and had sped out of the alleyway, leaving him coughing and wheezing at the fumes that enclosed him.

_Godspeed to you, Master Duo. I just hope you know what you are doing. And that I don't lose my job… _

&&&&&

Helen watched the Sedan speed off into the fading light, a small smile of satisfaction on her lips. She barely spun around at the rustle of cloth behind her.

"So he left, huh?"

"Yeah…he must really have it bad for Heero, huh?"

"You said it. Ever since those two met, it's been fireworks and explosions all the way."

"Do you think Heero will accept him? I mean from what I have heard, that boy is about as communicative as a rock."

"You know what they say…the silent ones are the most passionate."

Helen snorted and spun around to face the brown-haired girl. "You are a really good friend, Relena. I don't think I could have done what you did. I know how much you really love Duo…"

Relena waved her hands to brush the comments aside. "Nah…don't worry about me. As long as Duo is happy, that is all that matters to me."

A comfortable silence fell for several minutes as each woman became lost in her thoughts. Finally, Relena asked quietly.

"How did you get the locket, anyway?"

Helen allowed a small smile of sorrow to cross her visage. "Peter gave it to me, the day before he…" She stopped and closed her eyes, swallowing the lump that was now stuck in her throat. "He told me to give it to Duo. He made me promise to give it to him. He hoped that Duo would not have to go through the same stuff he had to deal with. He loved that kid, you know."

Relena nodded and leaned her head against the older woman's shoulders. "I know that, Helen. I know…"

&&&&&

Heero listened idly to the loud clap of thunder. It was raining again and he was soaking wet, but his eyes never strayed away from the box he held tightly in his grasp. His usually expressionless eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion for a minute, before gripping the black object tighter to him.

"Here you go. Chocolate mocha latte with cream. Drink it right up, before it gets cold."

He stared at the smiling girl before him. Why was she bothering him again? And why was he letting her? She had dragged him to this café for dinner, claiming that he had been as morose as ever. Heero couldn't blame her. He had not felt so good since the moment he had seen…

He shook his head and reached for the drink, gulping it quickly and wincing as the hot liquid burnt his tongue. He needed something to numb this aching void deep within him. He needed…

"I see you got the box. How did you do that without your father knowing?"

She was persistent. This Julie girl. "I managed to bribe the landlord," he replied.

Julie nodded and stirred her coffee. To her amazement and shock, she had gotten Heero to actually open up to her a bit…_a bit_ being the key words here. She had gone back to look for him after his sudden disappearance from the office, only to find him sitting and staring at nothing in the library, hours later. His books were open and he was doing a good job of pretending, but Julie could see that he had not flipped or opened another page. He had been like a zombie. She had tried talking to him, but he had gotten up and left without a word of greeting. Not giving up though, she had met him earlier today and had finally managed to get him to talk. Heero had decided to go to his late cousin's apartment to see if he could salvage any valuable item before the authorities came to clean it up. Julie had offered to follow, but Heero had refused. He had wanted to do this on his own. Nodding in understanding, she had escorted him to the outskirts of the school, only to get another shock as Heero had quickly changed his mind again. He had then wanted her to go with him. And so using the bus, they had gone into the main part of town and towards the lush condos that most well-to-do bachelors tended to live in. Heero had told her to wait for him outside, while he went in to speak to the man in charge of the building.

"Wow…this place is huge. I wonder how many people live here."

Heero looked indifferent and shoved his hands into the large black trench coat he wore. The stoic face revealed nothing and quite frankly, Julie was getting tired of trying to read his mind. If anything, Heero had looked so bleak, it was beginning to frighten her.

"Wait out here for me. I will be right back."

Not waiting for her nod of acceptance, he walked into the building and made his way towards the guest service desk. Ringing the bell, as the place looked deserted, he leaned against the wooden counter top and closed his eyes. He could still remember the times he had come to visit Masaki in this same place. The fun they had had. The stories he had told…

"Can I help you?"

He opened his eyes and spun around to face the burly man before him. Dark eyes glinted with interest as they recognized the young man before him. "Master Yuy, what a pleasant surprise. I am really sorry about the death of Masaki. He was one heck of a guy, I tell ya."

Heero dismissed his rambling with a curt nod. "Has my father been here yet?"

Mr. Bowles, for that was the proprietor's name, shook his head. "Nope. But he did say he was going to show up later on this evening. He called and all."

"I need to go up to his room."

Bowles shook his head. "Can't let you do that, son. Your father's orders."

A small smirk lighted Heero's countenance and reaching into his pockets, he pulled out a stack of bills, carefully placing them in front of the now wide-eyed man.

Speaking carefully, as if he were lecturing a two-year-old, Heero spoke. "I would like to go up to Masaki's room."

The money vanished within seconds and in another five minutes, Heero found himself standing in front of Apartment 35A. "Here ya go," Bowles said, although his voice was tinged with worry. "You had better take what you want and leave quickly. Your father should be here anytime now."

Heero nodded and went in. Shutting the door silently behind him, he flicked on the lights and stared at the Spartan-like room. Like Heero, Masaki had been raised to be practical. There were no frivolous decorations or excess accessories. Everything was functional, clean and neat. It looked like the owner was due to walk in any minute. Swallowing tightly, Heero made his way to the bedroom. Masaki had once shown him his secret hiding place and had made Heero swear never to reveal its location to anyone. Reaching beneath the bed, Heero pushed out the false floor and carefully lifted the black wooden box. He didn't really know what was in it. Masaki had only told him that the box contained matters of life and death in it. Heero hadn't really cared…until now that is. Getting back to his feet, he eyed the small room, his eyes falling upon a picture that Heero was sure, if found, was bound to get a lot of negative reactions. He raised the small frame closer, noticing the smiling faces with a pang of pain, ache and loneliness. It was a picture of Peter and Masaki, dressed for the beach in stupid-looking Hawaiian print shorts. Each boy had an arm around the other's neck, smiles of some mystical joy etched on their faces. Peter Maxwell looked eerily like Duo, in Heero's opinion. The hair wasn't as long, but that cheeky, devil-may-care expression was just like the Maxwell heir's. Masaki looked happy. Something Heero could rarely say about his cousin. The genuine smile seemed to make the older man look years younger. They both looked….

_In love…  
_  
"Master Yuy? Are you done yet?"

"I will be right out," Heero replied, idly noticing that the men had strange-looking necklaces around their necks. Thinking nothing of it, he tucked the picture into his pocket, his eyes searching for anything else that looked suspicious or out of place. Satisfied that he had gotten what he wanted, he made his way out of the hotel and straight into the pouring rain.

"Are you ready to go now?"

Heero jerked out of his thoughts and nodded mutely. The drive back to the school grounds was pretty quiet, which was quite fine with him. He didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment anyways.

The cab stopped off at the girls' dorms first, and Julie stepped out of the car, only to lean her head back in. "I want you to get a good night's rest, Heero. To be honest, you look like death."

Heero couldn't stop the small smile that came onto his face. "Thank you."

Shaking her head in exasperation, Julie snickered and ran into the building, turning around to give him one last wave. Waving slowly back, Heero leaned against the seat and closed his eyes. He was exhausted. Five minutes later,

"Here you are, son."

Paying the driver, Heero got out of the car and ran through the downpour. Kami, it was like hail out there. Ignoring everyone around him who spared a curious look, he walked straight into his room and shut his door firmly behind him. Trembling from the cold that had begun to seep into his body, he stripped out of the wet clothes, safely leaving the box on his bed, and huddled himself, naked, within his blankets. Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he took a deep breath, before carefully opening the wooden treasure chest.

Running his eyes through the stacks of letters and pictures, he immediately saw the small black box. Shoving some of the letters to the side, he reached and opened it carefully. An unconscious gasp escaped his lips as the sparkling crystal shimmered in the dim light of his room. Opening the locket, he mouthed the words that were intricately inscribed.

"'_To the one that holds the key to my heart._

_Our love forever blooming, for all eternity._

Mine for all time…'

_P.M'_

A drop of something wet…and warm, splashed against his trembling palms, before he realized he was crying again. Man…he had really been holding a lot of emotions in check. He was a crying machine all of a sudden. Wiping the tears away furiously, he carefully slipped the chain around his neck, allowing the cool metal to caress his skin. It contrasted sharply against his dark skin, but it still gave him a sense of comfort.

His sense of comfort was, however, quickly disturbed as a harried knock was heard on his door. Frowning in annoyance, he tightened the blankets around him and stormed to the door, ready to give someone a piece of his mind.

&&&&&

Duo, had almost collided into several trees and buildings in his haste. The rain was pushing his limits in patience and he had barely been able to see in front of him. The trip had taken an hour longer than he had expected, but finally reaching the school grounds, he had parked in an undesignated spot, his mind already churning out the fees for improper parking. Jumping out of the car, he dragged his carryall behind him and ran into the building.

He prayed and hoped none of the other guys were around to welcome him. He had only come to see one person at the moment. If any of them showed up…it would probably ruin everything. Hopefully, the boy he had come to see would be willing to see him in the first place.

With his heart thudding heavily within his chest, his body trembling with anxiousness and nerves, he thanked his lucky stars that the hallway was relatively clear. Brushing the damp locks away from his eyes, aware that he was leaving a puddle on the carpet, he swallowed tightly and stared at the door with those damned letters on them.

_Come on, Duo. It is now or never.  
_

He reached for the locket he had placed around his neck earlier in the evening, and feeling an odd sense of comfort flow through him, he raised his hands and knocked on the door.

He tried to control his feet from running away or his legs from crumpling beneath him as the door was suddenly yanked open to reveal the face he would have gladly died for. He could see the look of shock and surprise on that handsome face and feeling a bit lightheaded, he plastered a grin on his face.

"Hiya, Heero! You wouldn't mind letting me in now, would you?"

And not giving the Japanese a second to think, he made his way into the dimly lit room.

&&&&

Heero couldn't breathe. He just couldn't. This was a dream. A very cruel dream. Duo Maxwell was supposed to be with his parents for a funeral. He wasn't supposed to be here. What the hell was he doing?

He still, however, found himself shutting his door and spinning around to face the pacing figure. His heart racing with each step the braided boy took. Duo looked…

_Nervous. He is as scared as I am._ Not wasting any time, realizing that he had to make his move or this wonderful apparition was bound to disappear at any minute, he threw off the blanket that shielded him and walked up to the unsuspecting boy.

"Heero…" Duo began meekly as he fiddled with his hands. He had to say something to ease the tense silence, but his thoughts were quickly cut off, as he felt the strong arms encircle him and the solid warmth of a very…

His eyes widened and he spun around still enclosed in Heero's arms. "You are naked!" he squeaked out, finding out that the words sounded very childish and foolish to him. Blushing furiously at the feel of Heero's body against his, he tentatively reached upwards to sink shaking fingers into the almost dry, brown locks.

Both boys pressed their foreheads against each other, their breaths becoming harsh as they stared deeply into each other's eyes.

"Duo…" Heero muttered thickly.

"Yes, Heero," came the shaky reply.

"We are going to burn in hell for doing this," Heero whispered feverishly against his lips.

Duo nodded and whispered back, his heart pounding even faster than ever.

"So be it, Heero Yuy. Let us burn in hell together…for all eternity."

**A/N:** /races off to the candy store for some much needed inspiration/….whooooo hoooooo!! I smell a heavy 1x2x1 coming up! Be nice and review…and there might be a little something for you all…/bows and darts out/


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimers:** Do not own the Gundam Wing characters.

**Warnings: **YAOI/ I suggest you move away now, if you cannot stand such things. /

**Pairings:** 1x2x1, OYxDM (/ notices the raised eyebrows…snickers)

**CHAPTER ELEVEN:**

The faint sounds of tree branches whipping against windowpanes did little to hide the low pants and sounds of rapid breathing in the dimly lighted room. In the quiet stillness and shadows, two bodies trembled with the enormity of what was to take place. Bodies pressed against each other. Naked to clothed skin. From head to toe, no inch separating them, hands were held as they stared into each other's eyes.

"You are trembling," Heero murmured, his lips barely breathing out the words against the moist warmth before him. "We need to get you out of that ugly suit."

Duo gave a shaky laugh. "This is a five thousand dollar suit, you know. I don't think you should be…"

A lean finger was immediately pressed against his lips, silencing his nervous rambling. Unable to control himself, Duo darted out his tongue to taste the slightly salty skin. A low moan of delight escaped Heero's lips as Duo eagerly accepted the lone digit into his waiting mouth. Closing his eyes, he clasped the strong hand within his and intensified his sucking motions, obviously showing Heero what this finger could possibly represent…later on. Heero felt his entire body spring to attention as Duo's sucking motions continued in earnest. God, it was only his hand and yet he felt like he was going to explode at any minute. It wasn't helping that the braided boy emitted low sounds of enjoyment from his throat as his head bobbed up and down. Just as he was about to tell Duo to stop, those breathtaking violet eyes suddenly opened to reveal a look that bordered on pure lust. Heero growled softly at the sight and in a swift move, he pulled Duo's head up and away from his saliva-coated finger to finally claim the full waiting lips.

Duo almost lost his footing as Heero plunged his heated tongue into his mouth. However, his quick reflexes caught Duo in time as he found himself pressed tightly against the naked and throbbing length of the sinewy body before him. A strong arm gripped his waist, while the other reached for the tip of the long braid. Duo barely felt the small hair band snap or the way Heero's fingers worked through the braid, loosening its strands in rapid motions. Before long, the long mass of chestnut hair cascaded in a silken flow around them, causing Heero to gasp at the feel and luxuriousness of it. Duo whimpered softly as Heero pulled away from him. His eyes still closed, he tried to reach for Heero's lips again, but had to quickly open them, as no move was forthcoming. He stared with growing panic at the brown-haired boy. Had he done something wrong? Maybe he was not kissing him right. Duo was a bit ashamed to tell Heero that he hadn't exactly gone all the way with a guy before. And he didn't want to seem like a fish out of water on his first time.

Licking his swollen lips, he brushed aside a few strands of loose hair and managed to croak out the question. "Heero? Is...is…umm…is everything alright?"

Thinking he was never going to be answered, Duo was just about to give up; when those Prussian depths shimmered with something he couldn't quite define. His heart almost stopped beating, as Heero came closer to cup his face within his hands. The next words from Heero's lips, made his heart sing with unabashed joy.

"Everything is…perfect, Duo."

Lips were crushed against each other, tongues dancing with wanton delight again as young bodies trembled in anticipation. Pulling away, leaving Duo whimpering in disappointment which was quickly turned to a gasp of confusion as he found himself now facing the standing mirror in the room.

"What…what are you doing, Heero?" he asked shakily.

Heero's face crept over his shoulder and rested upon it, their faces flushed with excitement. His hands wrapped themselves around Duo's waist as he pressed the lean body against his. And in a voice that sent shivers of desire down his spine, Heero whispered huskily against Duo's ear.

"I want to see you naked, Duo."

The Maxwell heir could only nod in mute agreement as Heero began the erotic striptease. He readily complied as the black jacket was shrugged off his shoulders and dropped to the floor. Nimble fingers found his white shirt buttons and began to loosen, each one coming undone, revealing a smooth and evenly tanned skin beneath. The shirt was soon a companion to the jacket on the floor, as Duo now stood in only his dress pants. A small frown crossed Heero's face as he noticed the locket around the other boy's neck. Reaching for it with shaky fingers, he opened it and read the inscriptions.

"My cousin…Peter. He…he…" Duo tried to mutter out.

Heero nodded in understanding, his own locket seeming to blaze with warmth against his own skin. Their eyes met again in the mirror as a slight shiver coursed through them. "I can feel them…somehow…I can…"

"Hai. I know, Duo." His hands made their way slowly towards Duo's belt, quickly unbuckling and unzipping at the same time. In mere seconds, Duo had kicked away the offending garment and now stood in silk black boxers, his face now a wonderful red hue. He couldn't believe a simple task of undressing could be this…

"You are beautiful, Duo," Heero murmured again, his lips licking the tiny beads of sweat that lined Duo's neck and jaw. A light nip on his earlobe caused Duo to gasp, his eyes darting to the sudden swell within his shorts. His arousal was getting quite painful now and he could feel that Heero was no better at hiding his. He had to spread his legs apart a little to accommodate the throbbing length, and with a low moan, he ground himself against Heero, the accompanying groan of approval making him bold in his efforts. Duo trembled as Heero slid his hands into his shorts, the solid warmth stroking the turgid flesh in slow strokes. He whimpered as he felt himself leak slowly into Heero's palms. He didn't want to come like this, this time. He wanted to…

"Heero…I want…"

The Japanese boy nodded in understanding. He watched with hooded eyes as Duo stepped out of his boxers, tossing it to the floor in a flippant move. He almost chuckled at how self-conscious and utterly vulnerable the longhaired boy looked at the moment. Gone was the brash and loud-mouthed Maxwell, who could and would probably charm the pants off a baby. Instead a coy, almost shy and quite red-faced Duo stood before him, the long hair cascading around his finely toned physique in a way that bordered on pure ethereal beauty. In a simple gesture that spoke volumes, Heero held out his hand…waiting. Duo needed no second bidding. Walking up to the brown-haired boy, he stuck his own hand within the warm grasp, a mewling sound of delight escaping his lips as their heated bodies were crushed against each other. Heero ran his fingers through the long tresses, his lips murmuring sweet nothings into Duo's ear, trailing soft featherlike kisses down his cheek and jaw… any part of his skin left exposed. And before the longhaired boy could reason, he found himself lying on Heero's black bed sheets, the soft feel of the silky smoothness doing more to arouse his body even further.

Heero continued his exploration of the elfin creature before him, his mouth leaving the face to work on the arched neck. He flicked out a ready tongue, lapping at the light sheen of sweat that had covered Duo's body. The heady combination of salt and skin caused him to groan, his hands reaching down to caress the heaving torso beneath. Duo's breath came out in ragged gasps as deft fingers gently brushed against highly sensitized nipples. A jerk and whimper was emitted from Duo's mouth as that magical tongue quickly replaced the fingers. Sinking his hands into the already tousled hair, Duo bucked up sharply as Heero's teeth grazed against them. The wet suckling sounds drove him to the brink of insanity; his eyes now squeezed shut as the exquisite torment continued. He could feel Heero's torso rub against his stiff shaft and he could swear he was close to having an orgasm right there and then. A soft moan of disappointment was followed as Heero left the wet and hardened nubs to kiss the flat stomach. He raised his eyes to stare at the flushed and lust-filled eyes of his lover, a slow smile of satisfaction crossing his face as he noticed his handiwork. Duo was already leaking and pinning his eyes on the violet ones before him, he scooped off the warm creamy liquid and with deliberate slowness, licked off each finger, a sound of enjoyment rumbling out of his throat. Duo could not take the sight any longer. Heero was driving him crazy.

About to get up to pull Heero back down to his unsatisfied body, he found himself pushed back onto the bed, his eyes widening as Heero rose above to straddle him. Shaking his head at Duo's impatience, he lowered himself and in a swift thrust, ground their arousals against one another, causing Duo to scream at the incredible sensation. Heero arched his back, his eyes tightly shut as they rubbed aching and swollen shafts together. He felt like screaming himself. Never had he felt such pleasure and pain at once. Opening up glazed eyes, he noticed that Duo now had a trail of tears cascading down his cheeks. A small sense of panic filled him as he wondered if he had hurt the other boy, but his fears were quickly put to the side as Duo pleaded in a voice that was barely recognizable.

"He…Heero…pl…please…I don't…don't want…to…to cum…like…like…this…Please…I…"

His words were silenced as Heero seized his lips in another soul searing kiss. Duo could feel Heero cup his balls and fondle them slowly, his own hands needing to feel the other boy's as well. Duo ran his fingers down Heero's sweat slicked back towards the taut cheeks, his hand reaching into the tiny opening behind. He felt Heero jerk and then pull away. "What…?"

"Wait…"

Heero jumped off the bed and ran towards his dresser, opening up drawers to search for something. Duo could see the other boy's hands tremble as he rummaged and threw out things that got in his way. After what seemed to be an eternity for both of them, a whispered 'yatta' came from Heero's angle. He jumped back unto the bed and held out the small tube for Duo to see.

"To make it easier," Heero explained. Duo nodded numbly, he hadn't done this before and quite frankly his nerves were threatening to get the better of him. He was going to choke. He was going to give up and embarrass them both. He was going to…

"Ah! What are you doing?"

Heero blinked and stared at the puzzled look on Duo's face. "Haven't you done this before?" he asked in bewilderment.

Duo flushed and turned his head to the side. "Well, sorry for disappointing you. I don't usually go around sleeping with every guy I meet. I guess you want to stop now…right?" The crack in his voice unwillingly showed his hurt. If Heero quit now…he didn't know what _he_ would do.

He was, however, pleasantly surprised at the low chuckle and feel of those amazing lips at his neck from Heero. "Forgive me. It's just that…I thought…" He raised his head and stared into those breathtaking violet eyes (which at the moment looked even darker…almost making it black). "I am your first." He finished in a voice that bordered on awe. And lowering his lips to claim Duo's again, he whispered huskily. "I promise to be gentle, koi. I can't promise you that it won't hurt, but I can at least make it one experience you will never forget."

Duo idly wondered what 'koi' meant, but he would have to figure that out later, for at the moment, Heero's already lubed fingers were slowly making their way into his virgin opening. He found himself tensing at the invasion, but Heero's lips against his, coaxed him to relax as the digits slowly forced their way into him. Duo wiggled and hissed as he felt Heero brush against his inner walls. He could feel a third finger going in and this time, he had to shut his eyes and take deep breaths as Heero encouraged him to let go.

"Heero…I…I…don't think…oh my god!!" His eyes widened as the fingers brushed against something deep within him. That spot was touched again and Duo couldn't trust himself to speak. Heero seemed to know that he had found that special place, for he continued to maul the sensitive area ruthlessly, his fingers working faster as Duo panted and thrust against him. "Do you like that, Duo?" he asked thickly, his own self-control slipping at the wanton look on the longhaired boy's face. Duo could only nod. This was too much for him. He bit his lower lip, trying to stop from screaming again as Heero withdrew his fingers. He watched through hooded eyes as Heero's shaking hands lubed his aching arousal, before gently prodding the prepared opening.

"Duo…are…" he began in a voice that was nothing like the self-assured one Duo was used to. Heero sounded like he was in need. He was actually pleading for Duo's consent and at that moment, Duo felt the force of an emotion so strong, that it rendered him incapable of expressing it in mere words. Reaching upwards, he pulled the Japanese boy's head closer and staring into Prussian depths that burned with desire, he replied with a groan. "Yes, Heero…I am ready."

Lips battled against each other, as Heero began to push the throbbing flesh into the waiting warmth. They had to release each other for air, as the intense feeling of his swollen shaft within the silken tightness and heat, threatened to drive them insane. They both paused to get a feel for each other, their eyes never looking away from the other. In silent acceptance, Heero began to move again, his thrusts going slow as he waited for Duo to join in the rhythm. His strokes became faster as Duo whimpered in encouragement. Needing no second bidding, Heero withdrew till only the tip of his shaft was inside, before giving his lover a smirk and plunging in to hit that sensitive spot dead-on. Duo's shriek of pleasure was music to Heero's ears (make that shrieks of pleasure) for Heero continued to withdraw and thrust in rapid succession, causing Duo to rip tiny holes into his sheets (as he had been clutching them tightly all this time). Heero pounded faster into the writhing body beneath him, his mind going hazy as he gripped Duo's shaft to pump in time to his thrusts. He could feel Duo about to reach his orgasm and wanting to prolong it further, he gently squeezed the base of the hard length, causing Duo to groan at the denial. As if in retaliation to Heero's move, Duo did something he had read about in his many collections of sex education books. Smirking at the panting boy above him, he suddenly squeezed his inner muscles, watching in satisfaction as Heero gasped in disbelief at the sensation. Panting out a weak 'tit for tat, Yuy', he was quickly rendered speechless again as Heero took up the silent challenge and intensified his thrusting motions. By this time, Duo was a mass of quivering flesh and nerves. Heero had not allowed him to cum yet and it wasn't helping that his prostate kept getting pounded on mercilessly.

"Oh, god! Please…Heero! I'm begging you! I can't take it anymore!"

Heero, to be honest, was at breaking point as well and giving Duo's length one hard stroke, he released it and watched in amazement as Duo tensed and then spurted in thick torrents. The creamy warmth coated their stomachs and thighs, Duo screaming out his final release as he clenched his inner muscles again. This time, Heero finally let out his own cry of completion, the final squeeze on his organ causing him to spurt his seed within the pliant body beneath him. For long moments, their bodies throbbed and spasmed with their orgasmic bliss, Heero having collapsed limply upon Duo at this point. Breaths were strained and harsh as they tried to gather it back, eyes glazed and wide-eyed with wonder and…

Heero laid his head against the solid chest, his ears drinking in the sound of the steady and now calm heart beat. Their hands were now clasped together and he was still buried deep within Duo's body. He never wanted to leave. His heart sang with a joy that he could never and would never probably express in words. He wondered if this had meant the same to Duo as it had meant to him. He couldn't deny it any longer if he tried to. He had fallen for the Maxwell heir and he was probably going to die for this.

He listened to the steady rhythm of Duo's even breathing. Raising his head, he saw that the other boy had indeed fallen asleep. His face a picture of innocence that completed the mass waves of chestnut hair that flowed around him. Feeling that strong surge of emotion again, he reluctantly withdrew from the tight heat and snuggled against Duo, pulling the covers over them as he felt the pull of sleep that came with satiation wash over him. He placed an arm around the lean waist and pulled Duo close to his body, his face buried within the silken locks. And with one final prayer, thanking his cousin for giving him the strength, he fell into dreamless sleep.

&&&&

It shouldn't have happened. It had all been one big mistake that he had had to live with for the better part of his life. For one glorious moment in time, he had felt…free…

"Do you know what this is, David?"

"No, sir." The seven year old stared in complete adoration at the older man before him. He wanted to be like this man when he grew up. He wanted to be as confident and as self-assured. He wanted to be the best Maxwell that ever lived. He wanted to be his father.

"This, David, is a book of pornography. Do you know what pornography is?"

The boy blinked. He didn't, but from the picture it looked…bad. "Is it bad, father?"

The face took on a grave and serious look. Its lines etched with a fierce intensity. "Listen to me, son. This is no ordinary book. This is a book about boys. Boys who do naughty things. Things that our dear Mother Mary would cringe in fear at. This is a violation of our faith. Are you a good catholic, David? Have you been praying to Our Blessed Mother everyday?"

The boy felt a tinge of fear creep up his spine. Why was his father staring at him in that way? He had always said his prayers. He was that devout at so young an age. "Yes, dad. I have said my prayers every night."

"Good. I want you to look at this book, David. I want you to see the evils that are in this book. I want you see, because if you ever dare perform these acts in your lifetime, at least as I am still alive, you will be flogged. Do you understand me? Do you want to feel pain, son?"

The boy shook his head fervently. "No…no…father…I will be good. I promise."

"Good, my son. I have faith in you. I know you will never let me down."

David Maxwell had taken the book…and he had studied.

TEN YEARS LATER:

David stared blankly at his friends. A dare. They were daring him to actually go out of town for some fun without his bodyguards in tow. Yes, David Maxwell had two guys who trailed his every move. According to his father…for safety precautions. There had been too many deaths lately.

"So, Davy? Whaddaya say? Feel up to the challenge? Think you can ditch the suits?"

David found himself nodding before he could stop himself. "Yeah, no problem. I will meet you guys by the club tonight. No big deal."

A spatter of light laughter followed his remark and he found himself getting angry. They didn't think he could do it. Well, he was going to show them all. And with a determined growl, he stomped off to his dorm room to make his plans for escape.

Eleven o'clock at night, found David Maxwell with two drunk and passed out guards and one sexy little number on his person. The guys had told him to dress appropriately and so he had gone to the nines for the big event. Big, for it would be the first time he was actually out on his own without those intimidating looking men ten feet behind him. He pulled his trench coat over his black leather clad hips and legs and silk white shirt. He wondered what his father would say if he saw him like this. Stifling a chuckle and hiding the worry that threatened to snap his nerves, David leapt out of his window and landed lithely on the paved sidewalk. Brushing his hand through unruly brown bangs, he took a deep breath and headed for Club Enigma.

"Looking good, Maxwell! Hot stuff!"

The young man found himself blushing from head to toe, as he stood within the noisy mayhem of the bustling club. His friends had not left him alone since he had taken the damn coat off. Leers and crude remarks had been thrown his way and try as hard as he might to get angry at them, he instead, felt a surge of power at how much his presence seemed to garner a lot of attention. This was not the usual awe of being a Maxwell, but the awe of someone who was well-dressed and quite the looker to boot. He felt…_powerful_.

He picked up another passing glass of champagne, his body swaying gently to the loud music. His eyes darted across the crowded room searching for suitable prey. Heheh…prey. God, he was getting drunk. He had refused to really dance with anyone. It was as if he were waiting for someone and that someone was…staring at him right now with dark eyes that flashed with unconcealed interest. David blinked and shook his head. Yep, the guy was definitely looking at him. Mystery boy/man, was not dancing much. He was just leaning against a wall, his hands stuffed into pockets of dark denim jeans, unruly dark brown hair caressing a devilishly handsome face. David felt his breath quicken and his groin stir as their eyes remained locked. He had a feeling he ought to know this boy. Had a feeling he wasn't supposed to be looking at this boy, either. Had a feeling that he was…getting too damn drunk, for the next thing he knew, he was walking towards Mr. Mystery boy/man.

The stoic boy (he deduced that from his close position, realizing how young and close to his age he looked), had not moved away from his position and David didn't really care. His brain buzzed with the low hum of alcohol, his face breaking into the trademark loopy grin of the Maxwells. Turning on the mega-charm, he leaned close to the other boy, his lips inches away from the now tightened ones before him. He, idly noticed that Mr. Mystery boy was pretty tense. David decided that it was time to loosen him up. And before he could lose his nerve, he pressed his lips against the warm ones before him, his mind registering that mystery boy tasted…pretty damn good.

_/ Naughty boys doing bad…bad…things. /_

He darted out his tongue to beg for an entrance. Mystery boy hadn't even lifted a hand to touch nor was he responding to the kiss. If anything, he seemed frozen. David whimpered in defeat and was just about to pull away, when he felt the light hands on his hips. His eyes widening with shock and giddy pleasure, he smiled stupidly at the still passive face before him. He moved closer again and expecting the same closed mouth experience, he was thrilled to find his tongue finding the warm recesses of mystery boy's mouth. The hands on his hips tightened and he mewled in delight as he felt their bodies press against each other in slow erotic motions. He dropped his now empty glass to the floor and wrapped his arms around the strong neck, a groan escaping his lips as he felt their erections throb against each other. The kiss deepened and their bodies swayed to the music.

_/ Doing really bad things…boys…/_

"Let's go," came the rushed whisper. David could only nod as he was pulled roughly towards the exits. His drunken mind could barely make out their surroundings, his entire focus being on the delectable creature before him. He wanted this boy. Needed him.

Was it minutes or hours? He couldn't tell. But he did know that he was somehow in a motel room and that his clothes were being peeled off and that he was experiencing something so unimaginable and incredible, that several orgasms later, he lay sated, cuddled against the strong warmth, not believing anything that had happened.

He opened his eyes and blinked at the sudden brightness. Where was he? Why was his head pounding? Why did his mouth taste funny? Why was he sticky? And why the hell was there an ache in his groin area? His answers were soon answered as the sound of a toilet flushing reached his ears. He grabbed the sheets and wrapped them hastily around his waist, his eyes darting fearfully to the bathroom door.

_Oh, please don't let it be some prostitute._ That he couldn't afford to pay for at the moment. He had no cash on him. The door creaked open slowly and David felt his heart stop at the sight before him. It wasn't a prostitute. It wasn't even a girl! It was…it was…

_FUCK!! _

A tense silence filled the room as both enemies stared at each other. David tried to say something, but he found himself unable to speak. He couldn't believe the stupidity of the situation. If he wasn't already in deep shit as it was, he was likely to burst out in hysterical laughter at any minute. He found himself stiffening as the Yuy walked up to the only chair in the room and proceeded to slip into his black shirt. David found himself, unwillingly, admiring the well-toned muscles and lean hips. He could make out the faint scratches on the bronzed back and he blushed as he realized that he must have done that.

_/ In the heat of passion…boys doing bad things…/_

He coughed nervously and tried to say something again. "Umm…I…"

He was quickly interrupted as a harried knock was heard on the door. "Open the door, or we will break it down!"

David felt his blood drain out of his face. His bodyguards! They had found him! He darted a quick glance at his silent companion, noticing how tense his own body was. David licked his lips and was just about to get off the bed, when the door was suddenly thrust wide open. The two bodyguards staggered in with their weapons out stretched directly pointing it at the motionless figure.

"Has he tried anything on you, Master David?!" One of the guards asked venomously. "You just say the word and it is done, sir!"

David spared a glance at his companion. "I…he…"

"Is that blood?!!" The second guard bellowed out in fury, as he noticed the stains on the sheets. So that was why he hurt all over, David mused silently. His thoughts were soon cut off, as he heard the scuffle. Raising his head up, he stared in mute horror as the guards had now taken the liberty of inflicting their brand of punishment on the still silent boy.

"Stop it! Stop it this minute! That is an order!!" David cried out, as he struggled to get out of the rumpled sheets. "He hasn't done anything!!"

"Or hasn't he?"

Everyone in the room froze at the cold voice. David wanted to die. He closed his eyes and was unable to stop the well of tears that threatened to spill down his cheeks. His father was here. His father had come to pass his judgment. The pain. He could already feel the pain.

"Father…please…I…"

SLAP!

"Silence, you worthless fool! Is this the way I trained you?! To become a fucking faggot to ODIN YUY?! Tell me son…tell me he forced you into this. Tell me that you did not initiate this sickening act."

David stole a glance at the bleeding boy crouched on the floor, the dark eyes blazing with hate and some other unreadable emotion. David didn't blame Odin for giving him that look, for what he was about to say would give him more cause to be hated. Closing his eyes, he turned his face away and whispered painfully.

"He…he started it. He for…force…forced me here…"

He could here the sound of relief that came out of his father's lips and he felt sick at the thought. He stiffened as he felt the strong hands place themselves on his shoulders. "Come now, son. Let us go home. Odin will be taken care of."

David raised panic-stricken eyes to the pale ones before him. "Please…please don't hurt him, Dad."

A frown was all he got in response, as he was pulled to his feet. "Whatever you say, son. Whatever you say."

David never saw Odin face-to-face again after that incident. Oh, they had to deal with seeing each other in the news and the competition had been fiercer after that than ever. But David had had to live with the guilt. He had almost gotten Odin killed and over something that had been his fault entirely. Groaning weakly, he gulped down the bitter tasting drink and grimaced. It had been a one-night thing. No feelings attached. One spur of the moment drunken stupor that was now nothing more than a blurry image in his mind. Although, he did remember having a journal where he had written all of his thoughts and things that had happened to him. He wondered what had happened to it…

Sighing heavily, he got off his lonely perch from the patio. It was still dark outside, the rains having stopped sometime ago. The guests were gone and Eleanor lay fast asleep in the large bed behind him. He walked over to the mini-bar and refilled his cup, his mind churning.

_I am a coward. A fucking hypocrite. I cannot face up to my mistakes. Could not face up to my mistakes._

What was he doing? Why was he repeating the entire circle again? He had always wanted to be like his father. And it seemed like he had gotten his wish. His eyes fell upon the small frame that held the family portrait. He stared with pained eyes at the smiling long-haired boy in the picture.

_Duo…my only boy… what am I doing to you?  
_

He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was going on between Duo and that other boy. And for the first time in his adult life, David Maxwell didn't feel in control anymore. He felt…_powerless._

&&&&&

Duo dreamt of hot lips and sweet kisses. He sneezed lightly as a strand of hair flicked against his nose. Creaking lazy eyes open, he stared fuzzily at the furniture across him. This wasn't his room. He blinked and tried to move, before stiffening as he felt the strong arms tighten around him. A furious blush crept up his neck to his face as memories of last night rushed to his mind. He licked still swollen lips as he felt Heero's solid heat and still, oddly enough, arousal brush lightly against the curve of his cheeks. He wondered if Heero was awake. Waiting for several gut-wrenching minutes, he finally deduced that the brown-haired boy was indeed still dozing, by the steady rhythm of his breath. Twisting around carefully, so as not to awaken him, Duo stared with eyes that were filled with amazement at the serene and breathtaking look on the usually stoic features. Heero looked years younger, the lines of worry and fatigue erased completely. Duo wished he could wake up every morning to this sight, and feeling a bit daring, he leaned closer to brush his lips against the slightly parted ones before him. He shifted backwards a bit as he noticed the small frown and then mumble that escaped the other boy's mouth, before falling back to silence again.

_This is too perfect… _

Smirking in delight, Duo decided to continue his sinful exploration. Darting out his tongue, he trailed a line of kisses down the strong jaw and neck, smiling softly as Heero turned onto his back and thrust up blindly to the sensation. Grateful for the more comfortable position, Duo moved his lips towards hardened nipples, taking the tiny nubs into his mouth and sucking gently on them. Heero gasped and groaned again, his eyes still closed as he reached, unconsciously, for Duo's head, silently urging him on. Duo's smile widened as he moved unto the muscles of Heero's torso, which clenched and unclenched in tension. He dipped his tongue into Heero's belly button as his hands trailed onwards to caress the lean thighs. He could clearly smell the sweet scent of their combined ejaculations from last night. The tell-tale signs still etched on their skin. Nuzzling against the swollen sac between his legs, he licked and nipped the hardened piece of flesh. The salty and slightly bitter taste of their cum filling his senses. With a low moan, he licked the tip of the swollen head, a drop of pre-cum lubricating his aching tongue. He toyed with the slit, his eyes lifting up to notice Prussian blue depths now staring at him. Smirking again in satisfaction at having woken the other boy up, he quickly engulfed the entire length into his mouth, causing Heero to buck up sharply and hiss in a sharp breath at the sensation.

"Oh, Kami…Duo!"

The satisfying and erotic sight of that mass of chestnut-colored hair bobbing up and down between his legs, almost sent him over the edge. His breath became haggard and harsh, his hands sinking into the silken mass, needing to feel Duo's lips against his again. With a tug of demand, Duo released the swollen skin with a final wet sucking sound and moved upwards to claim Heero's lips in a bruising kiss. This was neither gentle nor romantic, instead, it held a tone of desperation. As if knowing that they had little time left to complete their union. Daylight would come soon and the real world would have to set back in, but for now…

"Duo…" Heero panted against his lips. "Fuck me…now."

"The lube…we need the…"Duo tried to say, but was quickly silenced by Heero's fingers.

He frowned at the slight shake from Heero. "You want it…dry? Isn't that going to hurt?"

Heero nodded and cupped Duo's face within his hands. "Hai…I want to feel pain, Duo. Maybe…it will help me in a way, you know?"

Duo had no clue on how it was to help Heero, but he didn't want to hurt him either. "Heero…"

Another swift kiss silenced Duo's protests and releasing each other for air, violet and blue clashed in silent understanding. At that moment, they both wanted to say the very words that would probably damn them to hell, but that huge block of family seemed to stand in their way. Hoping that his entire heartfelt emotion was etched in his voice, he murmured out Heero's name, as he gently began the slow thrust into the unprepared opening. He stiffened and stopped as Heero hissed sharply, his handsome face now lined with pain. "I will stop, Heero. You just say the word and I will…"

"No…go on. I can take it." He bucked against Duo again, silently telling him to continue. Duo thrust in again. Heero's heat and tightness almost making him pass out in ecstasy. The feel of his inner walls caressing his swollen shaft was mind-blowing in itself. Stopping again, as Heero's breath became one of pain, he waited patiently for Heero to urge him on. A strained gasp of 'go on' sent Duo moving once more. Reaching to his hilt, he stopped and stared into Heero's face. Tears of pain were beginning to trickle down his face, although a small smile was etched on his lips. "I think I am ready now," he murmured. Duo nodded and withdrew slowly, before plunging back in. He hadn't quite mastered the technique of hitting Heero's prostate yet, but he was a quick learner and he was determined to make this as good for Heero as his had been. Grunting softly with each thrust, he felt Heero's pained gasps slowly become pants of need. The sweat coursed down their skins as their movements became more frantic and rapid. Duo was beginning to get a hang of their rhythm, when he finally hit that pleasure spot, watching in acute fascination as Heero's eyes widened and then shut tightly as the sensation flooded his being. Duo raised one of Heero's legs a bit higher and shifted slightly causing him to focus his thrusts against the sensitive area. Heero finally lost the fight to control his emotions, for a series of whimpers, groans and finally a loud cry of delight escaped his mouth. Duo got a hold of Heero's shaft and pumped in time to his thrusts, their dual cries of approaching completion filling the room.

Pulling Duo's head towards him, they kissed each other deeply, bodies tensing as an amazing kaleidoscope of colors blurred their visions. Heero's cry of release was quickly followed by the sharp yell from Duo. Their essence spurting out within and around their slick bodies. Falling limply to the bed, they wrapped arms and legs around each other, exchanging light kisses and murmuring words that made no sense to them whatsoever. They just needed to feel each other for the time being. That was all that mattered.

Heero placed a light kiss on Duo's forehead, his fingers reaching out to brush back some loose hair strands. Hands reached and clasped each other in a tight grip, eyes never wanting to part away from each other. Duo tried to say the words, but found them lodged somewhere in his throat. He could still see his father's face, begging and pleading with him. He suddenly felt like crying.

_Oh, god, Heero…there is so much I want to tell and share with you, but there is still that thing between us. That thing that will never go away. _

"It isn't fair," he managed to croak out huskily, his eyes blurring with tears.

Heero nodded and kissed away the tears, his own eyes burning with unshed ones. "It is never fair, is it, koi? For as long as our parents are alive…it would never be fair…"

And leaving the ominous threat hanging between them, born and sworn enemies closed their eyes and slept together as…lovers.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimers:** Do not own the Gundam Wing characters:

**Warnings:** AU, OOC, Shounen-ai,

**Pairings:** 3x4, 1+2

**Beta: **Veggie Otaku

/Hands out the tissues and hankys…grins widely/ yay! I got most of you bawling….swwwweeet/ducks from the thrown-back tissues/ --;;

However, I will give my thank yous to FuuAlpha (yeehah! Don't we all love lemons! LOL), ChibiDestyNova, Tayen shal, Forever1x2, Nightwings, CobaltPrincess, mumei, Akisawana, Kururu (thanks for the pocky!), Amykins, Morfina, Pythoness, RenegadePhoenix, Shinigami, County-girl-chan, Shadowess, April Aries (I bet there is some law against showing porn to seven year old kids, but that does not apply here LOL), Rey, RavenWings (here is the dentist bill! Thanks!), Makiko Igami, kitneko (/ogles at toothpaste/ can you say brighter and whiter dentures?) lucrion, kitti, nile, Ashes, Tori, Ayuru Churchill, lillie chan, kirpy, Daremyth, spade2848, K-chan, Autum and last but not least Watermage!

Thankees to each and everyone of you! And now on to the story….

**CHAPTER TWELVE:**

The Arabian padded on bare feet across the cozy living space, a soft tune of happiness falling from his lips. Tightening the sash of the white bathrobe across his waist, he reached for the closed drapes and whipped them open with a flourish. A grin spread out upon his visage as the bright rays of sunshine filled the otherwise darkened room. It was going to be another glorious autumn day and he couldn't wait to share it with…

"Morning to you, too," came the husky whisper against his neck. This sent a bright flush of color to his face as warm lips trailed light kisses upon his skin. Trying to stifle a moan, he giggled and playfully swiped at the roaming hands on his lean waist. He spun around and grinned at the taller boy, his arms wrapping themselves around his neck to place a light kiss upon his lips.

"Morning, Trowa. How are you feeling this morning?"

A small smile crossed the junior's face as his hands gripped the smaller boy against him tightly. "Good, thanks to you." He chuckled softly at the blush that had crept up to the blond's face again and not caring for the light yelp of surprise that burst out of his lover's mouth, he carried the Arabian back into the bedroom. "We have some unfinished business to attend to," he explained softly as he lay the frail-like creature onto the bed. Leaning forward to straddle the prone body, Trowa seized the moist warmth, nipping gently on Quatre's lower lip, the low moans causing his arousal to throb painfully. And thankfully, since he was already nude, there would be no time wasted.

"Hmm…Trowa. I need you again…"

Trowa gasped as he felt Quatre buck against him and emitting a low growl of need, he brushed aside the soft cloth to thrust himself slowly into the heat that was his love. Minds ceased to exist as they melded as one. Grunts, pants and whimpers of delight and delirium filled the room as both boys worked themselves into a mind-blowing orgasm.

It was only after several minutes of trying to garner back some sense of orientation, that they finally hear the persistent knock on the door. They stared at each other blankly before Trowa quickly slid out of the sheets and reached for his bathrobe. He wondered what could possibly be the matter now. He prayed and hoped it wasn't another complaint from another student. He really did not want to leave his current position. Giving a small smile of apology coupled with a kiss on his lover's still swollen lips, he made his way to the door.

Lord knows he wasn't expecting the face before him.

"Duo?!"

"Hiya, Trowa. What's up? Is this a bad time? I can come back and use the bathroom later if you are too busy."

Trowa could only stare in dumb amazement at the harried and clearly flustered boy before him. Duo's braid was undone and his hair, a mass of chestnut, flowed around his t-shirt and shorts-clad body. That almost maniacal grin was on his face, but there was something different about the heir that he couldn't quite place a finger on. Duo almost looked…content. Maybe the funeral had helped to get the loss out of his system. He was just about to invite Duo in, when the light patter of running footsteps stopped him.

"Duo?! Is that really you? What are you doing back here so early? I thought you were supposed to be coming in later on today?"

"Whoa, Q-man! Easy on the questions." And raising an eyebrow, a cheeky smile came unto Duo's face as he took in the two bathrobe covered boys. Faces flushed…where had he seen this picture before? And trying hard to squash down the memories of his time with Heero, he stifled his laughter and asked casually. "Sooooo…am I interrupting anything? I will just go on over to my room and sit on my own bed and wait until you guys finish what you were do…"

"Duo."

Three pairs of eyes snapped around at the steady voice. Walking nonchalantly towards them, with what seemed to be clothes in his hands was none other than Heero Yuy. He was dressed in a casual blue shirt and dark pants, his hair looking freshly washed and eyes shining with something that Trowa and Quatre found hard to explain. Their jaws literally dropped as Heero nodded curtly to them, before turning his attention to the motionless boy beside them. And ignoring the gaping boys, he spoke directly to Duo.

"Would these do? I wasn't sure if these were the ones you wanted."

Red-faced and trying hard to control himself from drowning in those teasing blue depths, Duo ran his fingers across the clothes, his body tingling as their fingers brushed against each other. "Umm…they…they will do just fine," he stuttered out weakly, accepting the clothes and cradling them to his chest as if hugging them that tight would stop the tremors that wracked through his body. Quatre and Trowa were completely forgotten as Heero gave a small smile before leaning forward to claim the parted lips before him. Duo closed his eyes and moaned softly as he felt Heero's tongue slip into his mouth. His legs were just about to give way when those lips were quickly withdrawn. Whimpering in disappointment, another shiver of delight coursed through his body as Heero nipped his ear gently and whispered.

"Catch you later, koi."

He could only nod numbly as he watched Heero walk away. Those hips swaying with an added touch of sensuality that almost made Duo pass out. He vaguely heard the heavy sound of something falling to the floor and spinning around sharply, he stared blankly at the sight before him.

Quatre had passed out.

&&&&

"Gosh…is he still out?"

Trowa raised his head as he watched Duo step out of the shower, thankfully half dressed. "Yeah. I guess this came as a shock and surprise to him." He snorted. "And to me too, to be honest."

Duo chuckled and ran the towel through his hair, rubbing it vigorously to get the water out. He reached for the hair dryer and plugged it on, leaning against the wall as he did so. The dark slacks Heero had chosen for him clung to his hips like a second skin, his bare torso still holding the moisture from his bath. The smile lingered on his face as his lips tingled from the surprise kiss. He felt like singing. Damn! He was positively floating on air. Last night had been the most amazing experience in his young life. They had spent the remaining hours talking about everything and nothing. Finding pleasure in the little things that seemed trifling to others. He had made Heero smile again with his colorful jokes and to Duo that meant more to him than all of his wealth or prestige combined.

"If you can stopping grinning like a fool now, could you tell me what's going on here?" Trowa asked with a hint of exasperation. His head whipped back around as a low moan was emitted from his partner's lips.

Dark green eyes opened up slowly. "Tro…Trowa? What happened? I…I had the most…the most amazing and surprising dream. I dreamt that Duo had come back and that he and…and…Heero…_kissed_! Can you believe that?! Ha!" He ran shaky fingers through his hair. "That would be the day, huh?" And sitting upright, held steady by Trowa's strong hands as he wobbled slightly, his eyes widened in disbelief at the low whirring sound behind him. Blinking, he stared at the neutral look on the older boy's face. "Trowa?"

"It wasn't a dream, Quatre. Duo is…"

"Hey, Q-man! Finally woke up I see."

The blond spun around sharply and stared open-mouthed at the grinning American. "Duo!!"

"The one and only. How's it going?"

"I saw…did you…Heero…he…was…"

Duo chuckled and switched the dryer off, his hand reaching for the brush and running it quickly through the long tresses. "Yup. You saw correctly. Heero and I are a…uh…couple." His face heated up as he said the word, although his eyes blazed with feeling. His audience gasped and within seconds began to ask questions in rapid-fire succession.

"OKAY! Cool it! I will answer you all in due time. Speaking of which, how the hell did you two end up together?" By this time, he had begun fixing up his braid, curious violet eyes darting between the two blushing boys before him. Finally, Quatre cleared his throat and mumbled out…something.

"Sorry, Q-man. I don't hear mumble-speak. You gotta make it louder."

A sigh of exasperation and some more finger twiddling from Quatre. "I said we got together the night you left. We were talking and then…"

He paused and looked to Trowa for help. When none was forthcoming, he shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "We found out that we had a whole lot more in common than we would have liked. But that is not the issue here. The issue is that you and Heero are actually…dating?"

Duo almost lost his rhythm. "Dating?? No…I mean…"

Trowa interrupted. "Did you spend the night in his room?"

Twin cries of 'Trowa?!' caused him to shrug. "I only ask because I did a check-up of your quarters last night and you weren't there, unless you came in at around five this morning, then I doubt you were in your room and besides you looked as if you had just been fucked senseless."

This time the gasp came from Quatre as Duo threw back his head and laughed in glee. "How subtle, Captain Trowa. You were never one for putting things mildly, huh? You don't seem to have done a bad job yourself. Quatre is positively glowing."

This time both boys reddened with embarrassment as they shared a look together. Duo watched them share a small kiss and chuckled to himself. He had no need to feel envious. _He _had someone waiting for him. "Not to disturb you two lovebirds, but I have got me some breakfast to get. You guys coming down?"

Trowa nodded and rose to his feet. "Yes. We should be in the hall in about half an hour." A whisper from Quatre caused him to clear his throat. "Umm…in an hour."

"Suuuure." Duo rolled his eyes and slipped into the black shirt, buttoning it up quickly and tucking it securely into the waistband of his pants. Running a finger through his bangs, he straightened up and grinned at his friends. "See you guys later."

They nodded in unison and watched him leave the room with a wave and a wink, before turning around to glance at each other in confusion.

"Well…" Quatre began.

"I don't even want to know. I just hope and pray that they know what they are doing."

Quatre nodded gravely as he followed his partner into the bathroom. "Yeah…I really hope nothing happens. I have a really bad feeling about this."

&&&&

They had talked about it last night. Had spent almost an hour on it, to be exact. Do they announce their relationship to the world or just pretend like nothing was happening? Duo had winced at the second option. Having to go through the day pretending to hate Heero would do a number on him, especially seeing that they had every class together. The torture alone of not touching him was going to drive him insane. And although Heero had felt the same, they had both concluded that it was for the best.

But then again…

Heero had kissed him in front of Trowa and Quatre. Could that mean that he had had a change of heart? Was that a signal for it being okay to be affectionate in public? Duo doubted that. He knew that it had taken a lot of guts from Heero to do that this morning. At least, he was showing his closest friends that Duo was already taken. And by him, no less. Duo felt like gloating. His feet hardly touched the ground as he made his way towards the cafeteria. He hoped Heero would be there. Maybe they could share breakfast together. He hummed and smiled and grinned at those that hailed him in greeting. He teased the girls that lined the hallway. He felt awesome albeit a bit sore from the strenuous activities.

Making the turn for the Maynard, he suddenly froze in place as he noticed the three serious-looking men dressed in suits standing at the end of the spacious room. His heart pounding fearfully in his chest, he wondered what could possibly be the problem. His eyes darted across the half-filled room. It was a Sunday, so only a few students were awake enough to make it to breakfast. There was no sign of the brown-haired boy. His heart rate sped up as he noticed the men turn around to face him. He licked his lips and clenched his hands into fists. He had to act cool. He was acting jumpy. It was as if he was guilty and all eyes were now pinned on him. Jeering, hateful and accusing eyes.

_/ You dared to sleep with a Yuy! You will pay/_

He gripped the edge of his tray tightly. Where was Heero? What had they done to him? It was getting a bit hard to breathe now. He could feel his chest constricting painfully. What if they had come to take him away? What if Odin had heard about last night? What if they had sent Heero for a transfer to another school?!

_Oh, God, no! I couldn't…I just couldn't! _

The light hand on his shoulder sent him into a panicked frenzy and with those amazing reflexes, he spun around and punched whoever stood behind him. Only problem was, the punch never landed for the culprit had dodged it neatly. Finding his wrist suddenly encased in a tight grip and twisted painfully behind his back, Duo bucked and thrashed angrily against the person. "Goddammit! Let me go!"

"What in the world is wrong with you, Maxwell? I was just trying to call you."

"Wu…Wufei?"

"Yes, Wufei," the Chinese boy retorted, before letting Duo go. "You were just standing there like a zombie. What is your problem? And why are you back so early? I thought you were supposed to be…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I came back early so bite me," Duo grumbled bitterly as he rubbed his aching wrist. "You didn't have to twist it so hard, you know."

"Well, you looked zoned out, almost frightened. Is there something wrong?"

"No. Nothing. Why should anything be wrong?" Duo replied hastily as he made his way down the buffet line. Picking up anything that his hands could reach, he eyed the men again. They were still standing there and every once in a while, they would turn around to glance at him. Damn it! They were beginning to freak him out.

Trying to act as casual as he could, he asked Wufei flippantly. "So, who are the guys in the suits?"

Wufei stopped his selection process to stare at the men, before shrugging and dumping a load of sugar packets on his tray. "Don't ask me. I came here a few minutes ago. I have no clue."

"They are detectives."

The two boys stared in mute curiosity as another student spoke up. "Detectives? What for?"

"Oh, nothing serious really. They just come here every year to do their standard checkup of the school. You know, bomb threats, rapes, crap like that."

Duo could have hugged the boy. His relief was so great that he actually did drop his tray to hug…Wufei instead. This caused the Chinese boy to redden in embarrassment, earning a snicker from the American.

"Gosh, Wufei. How in the world does Meiran manage?"

"She manages just fine, Maxwell. Now let me go!"

Quickly finding a table for themselves, they waved in unison as they noticed Trowa and Quatre walk into the room. Before long, the four boys sat around the circular table, laughing and chatting away. The men in the corner forgotten, Duo felt more relaxed. So relaxed in fact, that he never noticed the figure approaching them or the sudden silence that befell the table.

"And so I said to the guy…what's the matter? Can't get it up for your girlfriend?" He burst out into laughter at his own joke before he noticed his silent companions. "What?!"

"Sorry for interrupting," came the familiar calm voice that sent Duo into a mass of trembling nerves. Spinning around sharply, he stared into dual pools of sparkling blue.

"He…Heero?" he muttered out softly, the sudden urge to hug and perhaps give the brown-haired boy another kiss, causing him to tighten his grip on his bottle of juice. "What…?"

Heero shifted his stance and nodded in acknowledgement at the other curious observers from the table and indeed the room. He swallowed tightly as his gaze focused on the eyes of the one he worshipped. He had to do this. He couldn't lose his nerve now. Gripping the tray within his grasp even tighter, he asked smoothly.

"I was wondering if…" He cleared his throat and sought for another way to place his request. "I saw you all eating and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind me joining you." There! He had said it and now for the rejection. He refused to mention that he had been envious of their easy camaraderie ever since he walked into the room earlier. He would never be as outgoing as the other boy, but at least, he could try to blend in a little bit more. Duo had tried to make him see that last night as well.

His thoughts were quickly broken as that dizzying grin spread out upon the heart-shaped face. "Sure, you can join us! Can't he, guys?"

Trowa and Quatre nodded enthusiastically, while Wufei sat stumped with his sandwich still hanging somewhere in mid-air. The Chinese boy watched in shock as Heero thanked them softly and made himself comfortable right next to Duo. His sharp eyes noticed the small look that was exchanged and the accompanying blush for both, before he could finally regain his vocal cords. Dropping his sandwich to his plate, he leaned forward and with a frown on his face, he asked curtly.

"Okay. Can someone please explain…_this_ to me?!"

Heero focused his attention on his cereal, leaving the talking to Duo. He would have found it hard to speak anyway as Duo was making him weak just by brushing his hands against his thighs. He tried to control his trembling as he listened to that smooth voice explain, as best he could, the events that had occurred. Leaving out the sex part, Duo stated plainly that they had both decided to work out their differences and that was that.

None of the others bought it.

As for the rest of the room, a low hum was slowly heard as word of Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell having breakfast together. On the same table. Sitting next to each other. TALKING NORMALLY. Spread like wildfire. Naturally, both boys ignored the buzz and instead tried to concentrate on not passing out or running out of there to find the nearest empty room to satiate their overzealous hormones.

"Hey, guys!"

"Hey, Julie! What's up?"

The green-eyed girl smiled at the boys and held out a flyer. "For you all." She passed one out to each boy and watched as they read the brightly colored paper.

"Annual Halloween Bash," Quatre read out slowly. "What has this…?"

"Precisely!" Julie enthused. "Every year, there is a Halloween party that is held in the grand ballroom. I mean, I hear it is huge. Right, Trowa?"

All eyes trained themselves upon the junior. "Yes. Everyone is expected to dress up in their finest costumes and the best dressed couple or person is awarded a prize of some sort."

"Nice," Duo crooned. "Sign me up!"

"Me, too!" Quatre jumped in, excitement brimming in his voice. "You will be there, won't you, Trowa?" Smiling at the nod, he turned to Wufei. "Are you coming?"

Wufei was just about to shake his head when he noticed the teasing look on Duo's face. Knowing that the American was about to make fun of him in some crude way, he blurted out sharply. "I'm in."

"Cool!" Julie clapped her hands together. "You are coming right, Heero?"

Heero hated parties. But Duo was going and he had no intentions of leaving his beautiful mate alone in a room filled with ogling admirers. "I will be there."

"Awesome! Now, remember, guys. Dress appropriately!" And with a final wave, she danced off to hand out some more to the other occupants of the room.

"What day is this thing anyway?" Wufei asked, as he rose to his feet to clear up his eating area.

"In about two weeks." Duo replied, as he too got up. "I gotta think of something cool to wear. Last Halloween I went as Spawn."

"Spawn????"

The five boys dropped their trash into the bin and slowly made their way out of the room. Duo stared incredulously at Quatre's question.

"You mean you haven't heard of Spawn? Damn! He is the greatest super hero that ever lived! I mean he is like…"

And with inward groans, the other four boys subjected themselves to listening to the long rant on the qualities of the dark Super Hero.

&&&&&

Relena held the small black book tighter to her chest as the car made its way down the long driveway towards the girls' dorm. She stared blindly out of the window, her mind whirling with thoughts of all she had read and heard today.

_/ In that book, you will find things you should never see. /_

Why had she accepted it? Why would Helen entrust her with such a thing? She was scared. Downright frightened. If word ever got out that she held a book that could bring down the most powerful man in the world or indeed amongst the colonies, goodness knew what would happen to her. Was she doing the right thing? She had to be. She was doing it in their best interests. She was doing it to protect the boy she loved and for the boy _he_ loved.

She stared at the faded Maxwell insignia on the dark cover. A book filled with secrets, hopes and dreams. A book filled with words that had burned right through her soul. A book that had caused her to cry with the vehement words of hate and love. A love lost. A love gained. A love that was meant to be. A love that would never be.

_Dear, dear, Uncle David. You are so secure in your power now, that you have lost sight of what really matters to you. If only things had been different… _

"Here we are, Miss Peacecraft."

"Thank you, Big Bill. I will send out your love to Duo."

"You do that, Miss Peacecraft. You take care now."

She nodded and smiled as she waved at the disappearing car. Sighing deeply, she picked up her carryall bag and almost screamed as a group of girls gathered around her in gushy welcomes. Fighting the urge to kick them out of her way, she dutifully placed the smile on her face and replied at all the right places. God, she needed a shower.

"Relena! Thank goodness you are here! Excuse me, girls! Coming through!"

And before either of them or even Relena could think, she felt herself being propelled inside the building and towards her room. "What…?"

"Hey, couldn't leave you out there with all your adoring fans. They would have eaten you alive."

Relena chuckled and hugged the other girl. "Thanks a lot, Julie. I really owe you one."

"Whatcha got there?" She asked flippantly as she sat upon the large bed. She picked up the black book and was stumped into mute silence as it was quickly snatched away from her hands. "Umm…sorry. I didn't know it was that important to you."

Relena sighed and sat down beside her. Her face weary with fatigue and stress. "I am sorry. I am just a bit frazzled and overwhelmed with different things right now. I hope you understand."

"Of course I do. You have been through a lot and here I am about to bug you to death." She stood up and began to make her way out of the room. "I will allow you to get your rest."

"Wait!"

"Huh?"

"How is Duo? I haven't seen him since yesterday."

Julie pursed her lips. "I saw him this morning at breakfast and wouldn't you believe it. He was having breakfast with Heero. Both of them. Together! You should have seen the looks on everyone's face. Shock is an understatement."

"So, they are going out publicly now?"

"I wouldn't say that. Although I did see them walking towards the stables together…" She shrugged and stared at the wistful look on the other girl's face. "What is it, Relena? I know I am not the closest friend in the world, but you can trust me, you know."

Relena stared at the green-eyed girl in thought. She needed to confide in someone. The secret alone threatened to make her insane.

"Do you promise never to tell another soul about this? Promise me, Julie. I am about to do something that might change the course of history…for better or worse."

Julie nodded gravely and came back to sit beside the now trembling girl. "Does this have anything to do with _them_?"

Relena nodded and hugged the book tighter to her. "This book…this book contains all of David Maxwell's thoughts, experiences and hopes. It contains things that could break him. Ruin his reputation. Destroy his name and his family's prestige."

A whispered 'Oh,my god' spilled out of Julie's lips.

Relena nodded again and stood up abruptly. She paced to the window and stared mutely at the falling evening sky. Spinning back around sharply, she pinned determined blue eyes upon the silent girl. And in a voice as steady as ever, she spoke out loudly and clearly.

"I am going to show this book to Heero and Duo. I will let them see and read for themselves. And then….and then, we will let Fate decide."


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Disclaimers: Do not own the GundamWing characters

Warnings: AU, OOC, Shounen ai and Yaoi

Pairings: 1+2+1

Beta: Veggie Otaku

To KuriQuinn (thanks so much for your words. I am glad the fic has inspired you and goodluck on getting yours done ), Ashes (/still waiting for her Heero figurine/), Du-chan, BlackWind, Forever1x2, Chrissy Sky, Shinigami (/blinks/ don't worry, all questions will be answered eventually), Watermage (/whimpers/ please…my pocky), White Destiny, Silvertoekee, Shadowess, April Aries (LOL…conspiracy theories everywhere, ne?), G'Vola (I will try to put in some more 5+M, ), Nightwings, Chibi Desty Nova, baka-sama (thanks for the plushie!), FuuAlpha (LOL!! Swweeet rhyming, my friend!), Tiamatorin, mumei, ShiTiger, Futon, Makiko Igami, Country-girl chan, Sivy, lillie-chan (have fun on your tour!) and last but not least Jade!

Thanks again and again!!

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN:**

_January 1st AC 165_

_Hi, Journal. I guess you are going to become my new best friend for the rest of my life. I am still not sure on why grandmama insisted on giving you to me. Something about being responsible and all of that, but I guess I will take it to heart and I will tell you everything. Everyone is allowed to keep secrets, but guess what Mr. Journal? You are going to be the keeper of all my secrets. I just hope you remember to keep them to yourself as well. _

&&&&

"That's the last of the paperwork, sir. Do you want us to go ahead with the finalization of the deal?"

The assistant coughed at the silence that greeted his query. "Umm…Mr. Yuy, sir? Did you hear my question?"

Odin managed to tear his eyes away from the intimidating picture of the stern-faced man on the wall to stare blankly at the fidgeting man standing next to his desk. "What is it, Withers?"

"About the deal, sir?"

The entrepreneur ran weary fingers through his hair before replying. "Yes, yes. You may go ahead."

The assistant nodded and began to make his way towards the door, before turning back to face his employer and boss for over ten years. Even he could see that the usually vivacious man looked wan and quite distracted. Not used to telling his boss what to do, he found himself in an awkward position, but Withers knew that the other man needed some sort of support. No matter how much he tried to hide it behind the tough and cool façade. Taking a deep breath and hoping he wasn't going to be fired for his affrontry, he dared to approach Odin.

"Mr. Yuy, sir. I may not be your psychiatrist, but I am willing to bet that you need to take some time off from work. You look quite…pale and exhausted, if I may say so."

He waited with abated breath for the snap or angry retort and was quite floored by the quiet reply that came back to him.

"Withers…may I ask you a question? A personal question?"

"Of course, sir. I am willing to answer."

Tired and sunken, dark eyes stared at clearly worried ones before him. "Be honest with me, Withers. What do you think of me? Personally? How…how do you view me? How does the world see me?"

The assistant thought carefully. He knew that brutal honesty needed to be told and Odin needed it now more than ever. "Odin. You were raised in a home that gave you no chance to know any better in life. You were raised to be the shrewd and astute businessman that you are today. Naturally, you are going to be tough and even brutal to those that are your subordinates, but that is to be expected."

Odin dismissed it with a wave of his hands. "Am I a good father, Withers?" he asked curtly.

Now the assistant was pretty much floored. "Well, sir. I…I cannot say for sure if you are a good father or not. I cannot judge…but…"

"Be honest, Withers," came the drawl of exasperation.

"In relation to the way your father raised you, then I would have to say that you are much better."

"You don't think I am too rough on Heero?"

"Well…"

Odin stood up abruptly and paced with agitation around the room. "See? Even you think that I am too brutal with him. Good grief! Martha is at my throat telling me that I should be nicer to him. What else can I do? I don't know what else to do? What? Should I take him to parks and fun places? No one took me to parks or fun places! I was never allowed to have fun! So, why should he?!"

"Because he is your only son….sir…"

"Withers…"

"And deep down inside, sir, you care about that boy more than you let on. You will just have to find another way to prove to him that you can be a much better father. Good day, sir."

Odin stared after the man with a wistful look on his face, the words ringing an echo inside his head. He could be a better father to his son. He could make things better, before things got out of hand. He walked slowly towards the mini-bar and reached for the whiskey he had left there earlier. Gulping it down quickly, his eyes narrowed as his son's last cold words seared through him again.

His son hated him and he found to his dawning horror that he could do nothing about it.

&&&&

_February 13th AC 165_

_12.01am. I am writing this early because it's my birthday today. That's right. I am going to be seventeen and I don't know what the hell to do. Mother and Father already have a big celebration planned this evening. They hope that I can finally pick a girl to marry or something. A girl that I will have to spend the rest of my life with. But do you want to know something, journal? I don't think I can ever get myself to really like a girl like that. I guess I will have to marry, for Father's sake. But deep down inside, there can be only one person for me. _

&&&&

Heero gave another exasperated sigh as his partner failed to figure out the answer for the umpteenth time. Tapping his pencil against his folder in rapid staccato, he eyed the pouty-faced boy across him.

"Give up?" he drawled lazily.

A fervent shake of chestnut locks indicating a negative response, caused him to flop his head onto the bed and to sigh loudly. "Honestly, Duo. The answer is just to…"

Duo frowned and bit out sharply. "I can figure it out myself, you know. You don't have to keep telling me the answer all the time."

"Yeah, well, you have been trying to figure it out since…almost half an hour now…"

"It has not been half an hour…"

"Yes, it has and you know it."

And so the argument continued. They were both lying on top of Heero's bed, trying to finish up their advanced calculus assignment and through it all, their stubborn natures had shown through as each had been determined to show who was better at the difficult subject. So far, Heero was winning hands down, for Duo was finding it quite hard to concentrate as his mate had decided that going bare-chested and clad in only boxers was his way of being comfortable. Straying eyes and a wandering mind had caused his attention span to dwindle to practically nothing. He grumbled beneath his breath as Heero stretched out to flex aching muscles.

"You are doing this on purpose, you know," he muttered out.

Heero looked blank for a moment, before smirking as it finally sunk in. "Oh? Do you want me to get dressed up, then?"

A growl from Duo was his response and before he could get his bearings together, he found himself being straddled and pinned onto the bed. A low moan escaped his mouth as Duo ground their erections together. And swooping down quickly, Duo placed a hungry kiss upon the parted and inviting lips below him. He could still taste the sweet liquid that Heero craved more than anything else (to the slight confusion of Duo. He could never figure out Heero's obsession with Coke.) and that distinctive unique taste that was just…Heero. Groaning and whimpering as tongues clashed and sparred with each other, Heero wrapped his arms around Duo's neck and gently turned them over, so as to be the one on top now. Only problem was…

"Ouch…my back…Heero…"

"Hmm?" came the lazy reply, as he continued to worry his mate's neck with light nips and kisses.

"Heero…" Duo pleaded with a wince. "My back is digging into your goddamn laptop!"

Blinking rapidly, Heero sat up to raise Duo away from the offending object. "Sorry, koi. I didn't know…"

_Beep! Beep! _

Both spun around sharply to stare at the new screen that had popped up on Heero's computer. "Looks like you've got mail," Duo said calmly, as he untangled himself from Heero's grasp. He was about to scramble to the other side of the bed, when he felt the light tug on his braid. "Ouch! Damn it, Heero!"

"Where do you think you are going to?" the Japanese boy asked, without tearing his eyes away from the screen. With his free hand he typed up his password to access the email, a slow trickle of dread flowing down his spine. He already knew who the mail was from. His father.

"Heero? Could you let me go now?"

"Shssh…I am busy at the moment." His eyes scanned the letter quickly. It was from his father, alright, and it seemed like Mr. Yuy was still looking for some sort of explanation for his odd behavior last time. His father sounded angry and…hurt. Something Heero found a little hard to digest.

"Is that from your father?" Duo asked softly as he moved closer to the screen.

Heero nodded quietly. "Yes…it is. He is just concerned, that's all." And with a quick snap, he shut the laptop. Duo raised an eyebrow at the gesture, but said nothing about it. He was becoming quite good at reading his lover's thoughts now and this move clearly meant that the conversation on that particular topic was over.

For several minutes, both boys sat on the bed in silence, their minds filled with thoughts they could not say. Heero still had Duo's braid in his grasp, although he only stroked the tips of it now, almost absentmindedly. Duo stared at his computer screen seeing nothing, the silence threatening to choke him up.

"Umm…Heero?" he began tentatively.

"Hn…"

_Okay…_ "Did you happen to notice those guys in the Maynard the other day? You know…those guys in the suits and all?"

Duo watched the frown come onto Heero's face and he felt his heart constrict with fear.

"Hai. I did, Duo. Why?"

The American licked his lips and clasped and unclasped his hands together. "Did…did that email…does it have anything to do with…you know…us?"

Heero finally tore his eyes away from his stare at nothing to pin Prussian blue depths upon the worried violet orbs before him. And speaking in a voice that sounded exasperated, he asked calmly, "What has that got to do with the men we saw?"

Duo winced inwardly at the tone, but kept his voice as steady as ever. "Detectives, Heero. They were detectives…"

"Yeah…so?"

Duo stared incredulously at the icy mask that had fallen upon his lover's features. "Don't you think that something might be up or…"

Heero snorted and jumped off the bed to walk into his closet. Picking out a shirt and a pair of pants to dress up in, he replied coldly. "Duo, your paranoia is getting quite old, don't you think? Why does everything have to be connected to my family? The men who were here were clearly detectives employed by the school for their usual checkups. No, my father is not some crazed lunatic that will go around sending men to spy on me for no reason. So, please, I would appreciate it if you showed me at least that much respect."

Duo could only gape in disbelief. What had happened to the fun-loving Heero of just a few moments ago? It was as if the email had suddenly replaced the Heero he loved with this…this icebox.

"What the fuck is this?" he retorted angrily. "I was just making a statement and then you have to go all medieval on me!"

Heero ran his fingers through his hair and tucked the shirt within his pants. "I am not the one getting paranoid," he stated calmly.

"Paranoid?! Paranoid?!" Duo shouted as he stood up on the bed and placed his hands on his hips. "You are the one who is acting all weirded out! I just asked you a question…"

"No, Duo! You did not ask me a question! You were already thinking that my father or my family was responsible for sending people here to spy on us, right? Be honest and admit it!!"

Duo gasped. "I never…"

But Heero wasn't finished yet. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe, just maybe your own family could be responsible for our misery as well, huh? Or did that escape the great Maxwell intellect?!"

"Fuck you, Heero! You hear me?! Fuck you!!" Duo bellowed as he jumped off the bed and began to gather his things together.

"Oh, so now you are running away. Typical. That's all you do, isn't it, Duo?! Can't face up to something, you just pick up and disappear, right?!"

"You son of a bitch."

Heero laughed bitterly. "I am a son of a bitch?! Me?! Have you ever wondered what your father was like, Duo? Huh? Have you ever wondered what made him the way he is? Have you ever thought for one second that your father could be the problem here?!"

Duo froze in his movements as he took in the irate boy before him. "What…what are you talking about?" He asked quietly.

Heero nodded curtly. "Wait here. I have a little something to show you."

Duo clutched his books to himself, trying to quell the growing fear within him. He had seen Heero upset before, but this was beyond him. He watched as Heero came back towards him with something black in his hands. It was a book of some sort and his worry was further heightened as he noticed the faded insignia on the cover.

"Recognize this, Duo?" Heero asked calmly as he shoved the book towards Duo.

With hands that trembled, Duo turned the book over and over. It was unmistakable. This was his father's book. His father's personal journal. And Heero had it. How in the world….?

"Your friend, Relena, gave it to me. She thought we might find something interesting in it."

Duo's eyes burned with growing anger. How dare they? How dare they insult his father's privacy? And in a voice that dripped with venom, he bit out coldly. "Why did you read it?"

Blazing blue depths stared back at him in defiance. "As I said, your best friend gave it to me…"

"How the fuck did she get it?!" Duo interrupted with a snap.

Heero shrugged and moved to gather his things together. "How should I know? She just met me in the hallway yesterday and told me to read it."

"Told you to read my father's private journal?!"

"She thought it might help. I don't see how. For the only thing I managed to get so far was that your father was a coward and a liar and doesn't deserve to be…"

Heero barely saw it coming as Duo had punched him dead-on upon his jaw. Holding his now aching jaw in disbelief, he idly tasted the metallic saltiness of his blood trickle out from the cut on his lower lip. The American was heaving in barely controlled fury, those violet eyes darkening to a shade that was almost pitch black.

"Don't you dare call my father a coward or a liar. He might be a bastard in life; but by god! You will treat him with respect as well!!"

Heero spat into the wad of tissue he had picked up and smirked lightly. "Respect is a two way street, Duo. I suggest you read it and find out first. Then we will see who has the problem or issue. And now, if you will excuse me, I have to be at the library."

And giving Duo a curt nod, he walked out of the room without looking back.

&&&&

_May 15th AC 166_

_I can officially say it, journal. I have done the impossible. I openly defied my father and got beaten for it, but I can safely say that I felt good afterwards. The bodyguards found out that I had spent the night at Jack's house again and of course they came to humiliate me. But today, I gave Daddy a piece of his own medicine. I humiliated him as well by saying that I was gay. And to his face, too. You should have seen the look on his face. He hit me then and there, but I didn't care. The memory of that night with Odin still burned within me and I will never forgive him for doing that to me._

_Never. _

&&&&

Relena hummed to herself as she stacked up the books neatly on the shelf. Working as a volunteer at the library was really beginning to pay off and she loved it as it gave her a chance to flex her other talents. Glancing at her watch, she gasped as she realized that she was late for her meeting with Duo. They were supposed to continue with their rehearsals for Lady Une's drama class. The presentation was tomorrow and they had barely gotten the scene memorized. Climbing down the ladder, she was just about to make the turn towards the main floor, when she yelped in fright at the figure that had been standing there, silently.

"My god! Duo! You scared me!" She panted out harshly as she held a hand to her chest. Finally regaining her composure, she placed a small smile on her face and spoke again. "What are you doing here, anyway? I thought we were supposed to meet in the gardens?"

It was then that she realized that the Duo before her had no smile or even a reaction on his face. The usually vivacious face was blank and Relena knew that something was definitely not right.

"Ummm…Duo? Is everything okay?" she asked with a slight tremble in her voice. "Do you want to talk about this outside?"

A curt nod was all she received as a reply as Duo led her silently towards the large doors that led out to the luscious school lawns. Stopping beneath a large oak tree, quite a distance from the groups of students that dotted the large expanse of space, Duo finally whipped out the damning book and held it to her face. Not speaking, he raised an eyebrow in question.

Relena gave a sigh of relief and licked her lips. "Oh, that. I was looking for you to give it you personally, but I found Heero instead, and I told him that it was for both of you to look at…."

"You gave Heero Yuy a book that belonged to my father?" Duo asked icily.

Relena shook her head in confusion. "But I thought…I thought you guys were close now and that you would share it and…"

"Relena…" Duo spat out. "This book belongs to _my_ father!! Not Heero's father! You knew we were going to meet today, you could have at least waited until now to give it to me! How could you do something like this?!"

"Duo…listen to me…"

"How many people have seen this? Huh? How many know the secrets to my father's past life? Ten? Twenty? The fucking school?!"

Relena stomped her foot in frustration. "You are not listening again, Duo! You always do this when you get upset! Try and hear me out first before jumping to conclusions!"

"Fine! I am listening!"

Relena took a deep breath and began as calmly as she could muster. "I am sorry for giving the book to Heero first, I thought you two were close and so I assumed you would both read it together. I guess I was wrong…"

"How did you get this?"

"Helen gave it to me."

"Helen??? What the fuck for?"

"She thought, as well as I, that this would help you to see why your father acts the way he does. Can't you see, Duo? Uncle David was…is just like you. He was raised far worse than you were and he had no one to turn to and that book was all he had. If you could just see past the whole 'you invaded my father's privacy' bit, then you will understand what I am trying to show you. Have you read it at all?"

Duo snorted and turned away. "Yes…" He spun back around to face her, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Fuck! Relena…this…this…"

"I know how you feel, Duo. I wept too the first time I read it. I just wish there was a way we could make things right between them."

"Yeah, right., Duo retorted. "That would be the day. I don't blame Heero for feeling angry about this. Dad, did mess up big time, but he was sorry about it. He just wasn't able to face up to it then…"

"Do you think Odin forgave him?"

Duo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, of course he did, that is why they are the best of friends today. Get real, Relena."

Silence fell as the two friends got lost in their thoughts. After an eternity, Duo jerked upright and placed his hands upon the girl's shoulder.

"I've got it!!" At Relena's blank stare, he gushed out excitedly. "I think I know of a way to get them to at least talk or something!"

"You have finally lost it, Duo Maxwell," Relena said laughing. "So, what is this mega plan of yours?"

The beautiful grin lit up his face. "Oh, don't worry, Relena. I just have to convince one more person and my plan will be in effect."

&&&&

_May 31st AC 166_

_Odin. Odin. Odin. Odin. Odin and David. David and Odin. Can you tell that I am infatuated, journal? I saw him today at the derby. Their horse won and I saw him smile. It wasn't much of a smile, but it was there nonetheless. I dream of touching him again and for him to smile for me and only me. I think…I think I am in love with him and I know that he could never love me in return._

_Isn't that sad?_

&&&&

"Please, Heero! I am sorry, okay? I…We both lost our tempers and maybe we could talk about it, couldn't we?"

"Get away from me, Duo."

"Heeeeeeeeero???"

"Duo."

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaase???"

The shower turned off and a naked Heero stepped out of it to glare at the smiling face before him. Reaching for a towel, he wrapped it around his waist and toweled his hair dry with another, his eyes never leaving the pleading depths before him.

Finally, "It is a stupid plan, Duo. It will never work."

Duo nodded. "That's why we should try it and see."

"Stupid plans never work, Duo. That is a fact of life."

"And what if this works this time, huh? What if we defy the odds?"

Heero shook his head and turned away before he could drown and lose his resolve in those eyes. "I am not doing it, Duo."

Duo sighed and slumped his shoulders, before perking up again and placing a cheeky grin on his face. Sliding up to the half-naked body, he wrapped his arms around the lean waist and pressed his lips against the heated and wet skin. Noticing the gasp and tremble from his immobile partner, he chuckled and licked the wet skin with a hungry tongue.

"Not even if I say you get to stay on top for a week?" Duo drawled as he rubbed himself against Heero's back, his lips not stopping their torturous journey.

Heero bucked unconsciously, thankful that the bathrooms were empty at this time, as Duo continued teasing him. "No, Duo," he managed to gasp out, although his hand reached for the other's braid to wrap it gently around his wrist.

Duo snickered and bit his neck. "Not even if I said you could tie me up like you did last time…and fuck me senseless over and over and over and over…."

Heero groaned and twisted around to claim Duo's lips in a bruising kiss. Moments of exquisite torture later, they released each other and panted with lack of oxygen. Cradling his lover's face within his palms, Heero said fervently.

"I sincerely hope this crazy idea of yours works, Duo. Or we are going to be in some serious trouble."

Duo nodded again and wrapped his arms behind his lover's neck, his grin widening with confidence.

"Oh, I have no doubt it will work my dear, Heero. I just know it will work."

&&&&

_July 15th AC 176_

_My father says I am to marry Eleanor Rimbauer come December. I am only eighteen, journal and Daddy says better earlier than never. Eleanor is a nice girl. She is sixteen and as sweet as a peach. I think she has a crush on me, but then again, it could be my money she is after. They are not that well-to-do, at least by our standards, but she is okay._

_I went to the annual polo tournament with her today. She looked great in her white dress. We looked like a married couple already. And everyone kept saying that. I hated it, though. _

_But, oh, dear god. Who should I see, but the one that had kept me awake at nights? He was there in all his glory. _

_And guess what, journal? Odin Yuy finally looked at me for the first time in almost a year. It was only a glance, but that was enough._

_I think I can safely tell you my greatest secret of all, journal._

_I, David Maxwell am head over heels in love with Odin Yuy and my punishment is to live and die with this knowledge for the rest of my life._


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Disclaimers: Do not own the Gundam Wing Characters

Pairings: 1x2, 5+M

Warnings: AU, OOC, Shounen-ai, Yaoi, Angst, Light (very light) bondage scene

Beta: Veggie Otaku

To: Aino Hikaru, Kitty, Watermage (whee!! I can get all my pocky now!…right?), Yoai Ashes (Yay! My life-sized Heero! Duo-chan was getting a bit deprived back there…), Daremyth, KuriQuinn, Miharu, Makiko Igami, FuuAlpha (Amen!…to your little quote), April Aries, Zandra (thanks ever so much for the duo/heero hershey kisses), Kirpy (thanks for the pocky as well), Morfina, Chibi Desty Nova, Forever1x2, Autum, Jade, and last but definitely not least slyangelz!!

Thank you all!!

/ runs off to hide in preparation for the incoming onslaught /…/squeaks/…please don't hurt me too much…enjoy!

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN:**

The clear, loud and almost musical voice rang out un-obscured in the deathly silent room. The impassioned speech resonating within the large space, rendering its occupants speechless.

"_My only love sprung from my only hate! _

_Too early seen unknown, and known too late! _

_Prodigious birth of love it is to me, _

_That I must love a loathed enemy." _

The speaker finally stopped and glanced at the stupefied audience with nervous eyes, silently seeking approval from the final authority.

"Oh, my goodness," came the voice of whispered awe. "Miss. Relena…I don't know what to say. Never have I heard such passion, such candor, and such emotion in that scene. You are indeed a fine actress. Give her a round of applause, class. Please!"

The brown-haired girl found herself flushing in embarrassment as the members of Lady Une's Drama class cheered her efforts with loud cries of encore' and bravo.' Curtseying shyly, she bowed her head and stepped down from the stage to sit beside her co-actor and snickering friend amongst their seats in the large auditorium.

"Nice one, Relena. You almost had me in tears."

"Oh, shut up," she replied in a mock stern voice. Jabbing him lightly on his ribs, she continued. "It's your turn next, Romeo."

"Oh…yeah…"

"Master Duo! Your turn! Let's see if Romeo can outdo our lovely Juliet, ne? Up, up, up! Let's move it, people! Time is money here!"

Picking up his script, he ran his eyes through the words that he had been forced to cram late last night, one last time. Taking a deep breath and receiving an encouraging squeeze on his arm from Relena, he walked up the side stairs to the large and seemingly endless stage before him. He suddenly felt his legs begin to have those heavy weights on them. Feeling hot, his mouth now as dry as a desert, he ran nervous hands through his bangs and fiddled with the tip of his braid, the words dancing around and around his head. He couldn't screw up now. He had to do this.

"Now remember, Master Duo. The keyword here is…Projection! We would like to hear your words clearly and concisely. Please try not to mumble or rush, okay? And oh…relax…you look like you are about to be executed."

This banter got a light laugh from the class and Duo felt himself relax a little bit. Having taken off his blazer earlier, he was left in only the white shirt, his tie a bit askew, as the top two buttons of his shirt had come undone. Closing his eyes, he bowed his head and waited for the announcement to be made.

"Duo has chosen to play Act Five, Scene III. In this scene we see Romeo returning from the battle with Tybalt and he has entered the room where Juliet lays dead.' In his hand is the poisoned drink, which will be taken as he joins his true love in death'. You may proceed, Duo."

For several seconds, nothing was heard from the silent figure on the stage. The spotlight rested solely on him, creating a glow that made the elfin creature even more surreal. The moment was made even more magical as he raised his head slowly and revealed violet orbs that gleamed with a light that sent unconscious gasps through the audience. Twin pools of amethyst darted through the room, looking for someone or something to focus on. In seconds, a small trace of a smile crossed his lips as they finally found what they needed.

And in a voice that rang as clear as day and as deep as the ocean, Duo Maxwell gave the world a glimpse of his woes and troubles.

Why had he chosen this particular scene and speech? He wouldn't have been able to tell you either. Perhaps a way to honor his dead cousin and his lover? Perhaps to relieve the tension that he felt within himself at his current predicament? Perhaps to fight the shadows of fathers that had secrets to hide? Or perhaps as a means of communication to the one that had a hold of his heart. To the one he had willingly given his heart to. If you had asked him why, he still wouldn't have been able to tell you the reason. It was just something that had to be done. Holding up the imaginary bottle of poison, he rounded out the impassioned speech.

"_Eyes, look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! And lips, O you _

_The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss, _

_A dateless bargain to engrossing death! _

_Come bitter conduct, come, unsavory guide! _

_Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on _

_The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark! _

_Here's to my love! _

At this point, he raises the poison to his lips and drinks from it.

" _O, true apothecary! _

_Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die." _

With a dramatic gasp, he fell to the floor and lay as still as death itself. Minutes of stunned silence were heard before a sniffle and then a lone clap began. In mere seconds, the class was upon their feet, applauding with added exuberance as Duo jumped to his feet and bowed to them, all the while grinning like a Cheshire cat. Shining violet orbs met amused Prussian depths across the room. The silent acknowledgement between them met and understood.

Jumping down from the stage, he walked to his seat and picked up his blazer. Fixing an innocent smile upon his face, he walked up to the gushing drama teacher.

"Absolutely amazing, Duo! I suggest you join the drama club and then you can be in the big production at the end of the year. What do you say?"

The heir quirked an eyebrow and tried to put on a look of serious thought. "Weeeeelll…I just might consider it…not making any promises though."

"Well, think about it then. Here is the number and name of the student you can contact and I can safely say that you will be receiving an A this time. Kudos!" Turning around, she began to address the rest of them. "Okay, class…"

"That was really impressive, Duo," Quatre said with a smile. "I was almost in tears, to be honest."

"That bad, huh?" came the tease from Duo as he tried to make his way towards the exits. Heero had long gone, to his disappointment, but at least he had stayed to watch his performance. (By the way, Heero had dropped the class as he had always wanted to.)

"You really were something up there, Duo. You really should consider joining the drama club. I will join, I think."

"Geez, Relena. You are already in the debate, art, dance…what else am I missing here? Clubs! Give it a rest already!"

"So, I like being in clubs, sue me!"

"And maybe I will!"

"Speaking of drama, have you guys gotten your costumes ready yet?" Quatre piped up, if anything to stop the two from another meaningless squabble.

Relena nodded fervently. "Sure have!"

"Lemme guess…" Duo drawled lazily, as they stepped out into the slightly chilly autumn day. "You are going as another princess or a fairy or something lame like that."

Relena huffed and punched him on his arm, earning an ouch' and hey! What did you do that for?' from Duo. "For your information, I am going as something else this year and I am not telling you!"

Rubbing his arm and wincing slightly, Duo mumbled something that sounded eerily like stupid fairy outfits,' which earned him yet another jab and laughter from his blonde-haired friend.

"I have to go to my next class, so I will leave you guys here."

"Sure, Relena. Oh, and don't forget about the…" Duo made a sign with his hands that brought a puzzled look to the girl's face for a moment before it brightened in understanding. Nodding curtly, she spun around and made her way towards Einstein's Cradle, already surrounded by a group of her adoring fans. Duo felt a bit sick at the display. But shrugging good-naturedly, he placed an arm around Quatre's shoulders and led them towards the main Randolph Hall.

"Come on, Quat. I have something I think you ought to know about."

&&&&

Heero hung up the phone and crossed out the final name on the long list. Mission accomplished.

Another one of Duo's side notes to this plan that still made him feel a bit uneasy even as he complied with his lover's wishes. Leaning back on his chair, he tossed his pencil up and down in lazy movements, his eyes closing as Duo's voice outlining each thing to be done rang around his brain. He smirked as he remembered the way he had finally gotten Duo to keep up with his earlier promise.

Heero stared at the clock for the umpteenth time. Duo was late…again. Why the he insisted on keeping Heero waiting was beyond the Japanese boy's comprehension, and for that little mishap, he was determined to make Duo pay.

He got off the bed and paced restlessly to the window, his arms folded across his bare chest, in fact, Heero Yuy was quite comfortable in his birthday suit at the moment. Something he had had to start doing whenever Duo was about to arrive. He couldn't afford to lose any more shirts from their frenzied actions.

Tapping a light staccato against his thighs, his lips tightened as he heard the tell-tale squeak of his door opening. He had obtained another card for Duo to use; only he had lied saying his old one was broken. Duo had done the same and now both boys could gain access to each other's rooms whenever they felt like it.

"You are late."

Duo froze in his tiptoe stride, looking as guilty as ever. "Heh…I am really sorry, Heero. I tried to get past Relena and the cramming session on time…"

"Do you think my job here is to wait for you to get finished with Relena?"

"Uh…no. Look, I said I was sorry, so…"

"So, I get to be on top tonight and not only that…" Heero spun away from his blind gaze out the windows to pin blazing blue depths on his lover. "I get to do what I want with you…like you promised, right?"

Duo gulped and held the tip of his braid in a tight grip. "Oh, that…that promise…"

Heero frowned and walked up to him. "Don't tell me you have forgotten already."

"Forgotten? Hell, no…it's just that…I was kind of hoping we could go over the plan tonight and all…"

Heero snorted and walked back to his position by the window. "Sorry, Duo. I don't think I feel like listening to your plan after all. Maybe some other night…or maybe not at all."

Duo's eyes, which had been trained on the sensuous sway of the other boy's hips, coupled with the delectable sight of that firm rear, widened in slight dismay. "No! I mean…yes…you can do what you want with me…oomphff!!"

With a speed that he couldn't have imagined Heero being capable of having, Duo found himself flattened to the bed as both were soon entangled in a war of lips and hungry tongues. Releasing each other quickly, Heero panted one word into his ear.

"Strip."

Not needing a second prodding, Duo rose quickly to his feet and began the arduous task of removing his clothes, his skin burning with need as those velvet blue depths followed each movement with lust. Heero motioned for him to make himself comfortable on the bed again, as he got up to make his way towards his closet. Duo knew what was coming next and was quite frankly unable to stop his body from trembling and writhing in anticipation. His eyes watched his lover's sinewy body approach him with the long rope-like items in his hands.

"I thought you said you were ordering the…umm…those things…" he said, with a hint of disappointment, as Heero straddled his body.

"Didn't get here on time, I guess. Now, stop talking," came the reply, as Heero set to work quickly.

Duo winced a bit as the sharp bit of the belt buckle dug into his wrist, before he felt himself lifted up a bit at the new angle. In mere seconds, Heero had secured his wrists and ankles to the bedposts and he now lay spread eagled upon the silken sheets. His erection, now throbbing for release from just the act of being tied up, began to leak with drops of pre-cum as he watched his lover lean over him with the black piece of cloth between his teeth.

"Wha…"

"Shssh, this won't hurt a bit," Sealing their lips together for yet another kiss, Heero took the piece of cloth and gently placed it over Duo's eyes. Much as he would have liked to watch his lover's lust filled gaze during their coupling, Heero intended to make this a bit different. Securing it tightly at the nape of his neck, Heero withdrew and smirked in satisfaction at the way Duo looked now. Totally and completely at his mercy. Noticing his lover's impatience, thanks to the way the long-haired boy whimpered and writhed in want, Heero reached for the cup of ice he had saved specifically for the occasion.

"Aahh!!"

Heero smiled at the reaction. Lifting the cube of ice out from the glass, which he had rubbed against Duo's cheek, he traced the cold liquid across the parted lips, watching with hooded eyes, as Duo's tongue darted out in quick thrusts to catch a taste of the cool drink. Duo's gasps became even louder as Heero trailed the ice cube down towards his already hardened nipples. The combination of Heero's tongue and teeth grazing against the coldness on his skin almost caused Duo to come on the spot. His hands tightened into fists, as they strained against their prison. His body bucking and arching off the bed, his breathing becoming haggard as Heero had now begun to focus his attention on his aching flesh. With a howl of delight, Duo nearly ripped the belts off the bedpost as he felt the combination of ice and heat envelope his arousal. Heero had begun to slowly suck the swollen area with a cube of ice stuck in his mouth, the moans of enjoyment at his lover's distress fueling his lust.

Just as Duo felt he couldn't hold on any longer, he felt the slight squeeze on his balls as Heero withdrew, stopping him from coming at the same time. Whimpering at the loss, he thrust blindly upwards to feel. Since he couldn't see a thing, his other senses had taken over, his body completely relying on sensations now.

"Heero…" he mewled out desperately. "Touch me…please…"

His answer came in a husky and downright sexy whisper next to his ear. "As you wish, koi."

In one quick thrust, Duo was filled with Heero's length, his mouth opening into a soundless scream as the painful pleasure rushed through him. Heero went slowly, his hips rotating in slow circles as he watched Duo squirm with desperation. He knew that Duo wanted him to go faster and Heero had no intentions of fulfilling that request.

"Heero…please…"

"Hn. This is for keeping me waiting."

Duo sucked in a harsh breath, the bedposts creaking with the forced clenching of the bound wrists. His mind was about to explode. Heero was slowly but surely killing him with this exquisite torture.

"Will you keep me waiting again, koi?"

Duo shook his head frantically. He gasped again as Heero deliberately hit his prostate and then withdrew slightly, reducing Duo to nothing but a mass of quivering nerves.

"I didn't hear you, Duo. Will you keep me waiting again?" Heero asked a bit more forcefully.

Duo managed to whisper out a weak No' before screaming in joy, as Heero finally increased his pace. It was rare to hear Heero speak his native tongue and whenever he did, Duo had found his voice to have an even deeper ring of danger to it. None more so than when they were in bed together. Heero would sometimes resort to his native Japanese, when mere words could no longer express his feelings. And this time was no exception. Duo reveled in the exotic sound as Heero panted them harshly into his ear. Their motions becoming more frenzied. The incoming explosion of their completion about to be realized. Until finally, twin cries of ecstasy rang out in the silent room, as limp and satiated bodies collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion.

Listening as their harsh breathings were slowly reduced to soft sighs of content, Duo finally broke the silence with a weary yawn.

"Heero, if it's not too much trouble…do you think you could untie me now? I can't feel my hands or ankles anymore."

Heero chuckled and proceeded to untie him. "Weak crybaby."

Duo snorted as he rubbed his wrists, before pulling Heero towards him. "Oh, you just wait until it's my turn. Then we'll see who the crybaby is."

Heero shifted restlessly in his seat at the memory and stood up abruptly. It wouldn't do to sit here and think of such things now. He had places to go and people to see.

They had less than forty-eight hours to get things ready.

&&&&

"Thank you ever so much. Yes, I will do that. You have a nice day." She hung up the phone and glanced at her two companions with the thumbs-up sign. "All done."

Julie and Merian grinned widely, as they followed the brown-haired girl towards the grand ballroom.

"How did you manage to convince them?" The Chinese girl asked, as she shifted the large box of Halloween decorations in her arms. "I thought those guys would be difficult to talk to."

"I think Duo must have spoken to them already," Relena replied as she dropped her own box, to place hands on her hips as she eyed their area of decorating. "They seemed nice enough."

Julie had already begun to hang up the pumpkin lanterns. "I just hope this thing works. It looks a bit too elaborate for me. Couldn't he have thought up of something different?"

Relena chuckled and climbed up the stepladder to begin her own work. "Nah. Duo is a showman. He likes to have things done his way or everyone else's ideas are just a waste of his time."

The girls giggled before a gruff and frankly irritated voice cut in rudely. "Not to interrupt you girls and your fun, but where do I keep this stuff?!"

"Wufei, darling!" Merian chimed in with a snicker, as she watched his face redden at the endearment. "I thought you would never make it. Why don't you drop it right there. We can take care of it."

Trying to maintain some semblance of authority, he snorted and dropped the box of even more decorations to the floor. Just as he was about to rise up again, he almost fell to the ground as strong arms encircled his neck in a bear hug.

"Merian!! What are you trying to…oomphff!!"

His protests were quickly smothered by a kiss from the laughing girl, as he blushed at the display. When he was finally released, he tried to glare at her but ended up failing miserably.

"Do you want to help us, Wufei?" Merian asked with a sly grin as she kissed him on his nose. "I am sure we can find something to occupy your manly talents."

"The injustice of it all. I do not have the time to stay here and…"

His rant was cut short as a string of light bulbs were shoved into his hands. "Those go over to your left, Wu-chan. You might want to use the ladder…"

Grumbling beneath his breath, he complied with his girlfriend's wishes and quickly set himself to work. He noticed Trowa and Quatre coming into the room and nodding in their direction, he put his attention back to his duties.

The party was in a day and the Grand Ballroom was almost complete in its ghoulish décor. The impressive room was as large as a football field, its design reflecting that of the Baroque period. Lavish and extensive wood paneling graced the walls and ceiling. Artwork from distinctive artists, reflecting various persona from the world of art and music also lined the walls, only this time, light orange and black gauze cloths had covered them. Orange and dark colored plants and flowers were brought in to lighten the otherwise dreary décor. Numerous volunteers had done an excellent job in transforming the lively room into one that closely resembled a haunted castle of some sort.

All in all, the one hundredth annual Halloween ball was going to be a night no one would ever forget.

&&&&

Odin came down the large grandeur stairs humming some obscure song beneath his breath. Dressed in his tennis whites, exposing a body that could stand up to any man in his twenties, he twirled the racquet in his grasp and gave a practice swing to an imaginary ball. Rounding the corner to make his way towards the lawns, he spied the robust housekeeper and all around mother hen carrying away a box towards the disposal area. Normally, he would have ignored her actions and gone on his way, but there was something about that box…

"Martha! Where are you going to with that?" he asked calmly as he walked towards her.

The woman looked a bit startled. "Ah, it's you Master Odin. Yes, I found this box in the attic. I have to clean the place out you know. It was a bit musty and all. So, I thought I would take this one out."

Odin felt his heart thud heavily against his chest as a sharp memory kicked in. "I will take it, Martha. You don't have to throw it away."

"But, Master Odin…"

"Don't worry about it, Martha. I will take care of it." He took away the black colored box with trembling hands, the memories coming back in a flood as he tried to control his emotions.

The sharp eyes of Martha caught the pale and wan look on his face. "Master Odin? Is everything alright? Do you want me to get you some tea or…"

"Just tell Alex that I will not be playing today, okay? I will be in my den and I do not wish to be disturbed, is that okay?"

"As you wish, Master Odin."

The woman watched with worried eyes as her employer walked towards said room like a zombie. Shaking her head in confusion, she made her way to the tennis courts. It was none of her business after all.

&&&&

He just stared at it. For several minutes he could do nothing but stare at the box. He was almost afraid to touch it now. It was as if he expected a snake to jump out of it and to bite him or probably kill him.

_Stop being so ridiculous. It's just a box after all. Just a box…filled with…him… _

He closed his eyes and raised his hands to his face. If anyone had seen him now, he or she would have been alarmed at the way his body shook. Abruptly spinning around, he walked away from the table, pacing up and down in indecision.

_To open or not to open? That, my friends, is the question. _

With the tightening of his lips, he made up his mind. Walking back to the box, he opened it and was immediately assailed by the musty smell of dust and age. He was unable to stop the small smile that came to his lips as he saw the first item in the box. Raising the small object in his hands, he eyed it with his smile widening. A camera. His very first camera.

He had wanted to be a photographer.

Putting it to the side, he reached into the box and brought out a smaller box. This contained some of his earlier efforts at photography. He could still remember the day he had received it. It had been on his sixteenth birthday and like a maniac, he had begun taking pictures of anything and everything. There were some really silly pictures he had taken, but he had kept them all. Although the quality had progressed over the years. Absentmindedly reaching into the box again, he pulled out the last and final thing in it. It was a book. A scrapbook, sort of. With a single name on it.

_**David. **_

He stared at the name with a well of conflicting emotions racing through his mind. He ran his fingers across the dusty cover, his fingers caressing the name he had so lovingly…

_Whoa! Back up now! _

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he opened the book and swallowed tightly at the first picture that greeted him. It was the very first picture he had ever taken of the Maxwell. The first of many to come. And the other boy had never known. Odin had taken this one by accident to be exact. He had been in the park with some girl, trying to get her to pose for him. Making her sit on a bench, he had adjusted the lens and had taken the picture, much to his dissatisfaction. Later on that night, in his darkroom, he had washed out the print and had blinked at the face that had somehow come into the frame. David hadn't been looking at the camera, but that brown hair was unmistakable and that smile/laugh…oh, Kami! Odin had never seen any one look so beautiful in his life. The girl paled in comparison to the laughing young man that had crossed the bench behind her and from that moment on, Odin Yuy's fascination with the forbidden teenager had been born.

Every day was the same mission, to get a picture of David, whenever he could. As his hands flew across the pages, his smile turned into one of sadness as he realized that David had never really posed for him. He had stolen these shots…except for one. It was the last and final picture that Odin had ever taken.

David had been on his own, in a park, ironically enough, the very same park he had taken his first picture. The brown-haired boy had had a book in his hands, writing down something of some sort. Odin had watched as David had swiped away a tear from his eye, the feeling of sadness resonating deep within his soul. With hands that trembled, Odin had raised the camera to his eyes and had gasped in surprise as dark blue depths suddenly looked up to pin themselves upon him. On autopilot, Odin had taken the picture, forgetting to take out the flash as David got to his feet and bellowed out angrily.

Odin had run off like a coward. David had thought he was a paparazzi and that was good. Right? Developing the picture proved to be the most gut-wrenching thing he had ever done. Those dark blue depths burned through him. Filled with a sadness and longing that he could never define, he had captured David at his most vulnerable. And at that moment, Odin had sworn to give up photography. The joy was no longer there and so he had packed up five years of hard work into a box to lock away forever.

_Ah, David…you…were…_

The loud and almost frantic knocking on his office door jerked him out of his reverie. Placing a frown on his face, he quickly packed up the items and stomped towards it, ready to give whoever it was a piece of his mind. Pulling it open with more force than necessary, he was a bit startled to see the flushed and harassed-looking man before him.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Withers?"

Gulping for air, the poor man managed to gasp out brokenly. "Sir…oh, Mr. Yuy, sir. You have to put on the news."

"Put on the news…."

"It's Master Heero, sir!"

Odin reached quickly for the remote and switched the television on, his eyes widening, his heart thumping in fear as the report reached his ears.

_Oh, Kami, no! _

He sank to the couch bonelessly, the air sucked out of his stomach. He couldn't breathe. This wasn't happening! It couldn't be happening!! Not again!! And to his own flesh and blood, too!!

"Mr. Yuy…" Withers began meekly.

Odin spoke in a voice that was barely recognizable. He had aged considerably in just a few seconds.

"Withers, prepare the jet for me. I have to go…_now_."

"Understood, sir."

&&&&

David was insane. He was going to go insane. Eleanor hadn't stopped bawling for the past hour and Helen and her husband had been trying to comfort her, all to no avail.

Not my Duo. This could not be happening to _my_ boy.

"I am leaving now," he finally said, as he reached for his jacket. "Is my transportation ready?" he asked curtly.

"Yes, sir. The plane is all set," one of the servants said solemnly.

Placing a light kiss on his wife's tear-streaked face, he nodded to his daughter and son-in-law before making his way out of the house and into the waiting limousine.

He hoped and prayed that he wasn't too late.

&&&&

"_This is Glenda Burns reporting for the six o'clock evening news. I am standing here in front of the Mount Kipling hospital where earlier this evening, the bodies of the two future heirs to the greatest dynasties ever known, Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell, were brought in with multiple burns and wounds. The police are still looking into what could have been the cause for such a catastrophe. All we have so far, is that the accident stemmed from a drunken brawl at the annual Halloween party that was being held at the time of the accident. Witnesses say that the two boys had left the party for a while, but the sounds of gunshots had been heard, hence sending the school into a pandemonium. We have tried to speak to the doctors on the boys' condition, but all they are saying is that the prognosis sounds very grim…"_


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Disclaimers: Do not own the Gundam Wing Characters

Pairings: 1+2+1, OY+DM

Warnings: AU, OOC, Yaoi, Shounen-ai

Author's notes: Heheh…can't blame me for taking this long now. It's all their fault /points at the big guns/, but hey, here it is finally. Hope you like. Oh, yeah, can't forget to thank all ye wonderful folks:

Emerald Booky-chan, ash, kirpy, krazy, TuppoC, Tsuki Doriimaa, ChibiDestyNova, Ominrin, Yaoi Ashes, kitti, Aino Hikaru, Chibiange, Cobaltprincess, Miharu, ForeordinaedDestiny, Jade, Tina, Acidburn646, sugar, mumei, Forever1x2, Amykins, KuriQuinn, Makiko Igami, Watermage, Du-chan and Jayni (hopefully all your questions will be answered in this chapter and the next )

Enjoy!

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN:**

"This is Glenda Burns reporting live from the scene of what could be called the most gut-wrenching scenario in the history of this prestigious school of higher learning. Earlier this evening, we reported on the attacks that were carried out by some unknown source on the two young heirs. We now have several witnesses to the crime. Can you please tell us your name, young lady?"

"Umm…Merian."

"Merian, could you please tell us what you saw tonight?"

"Oh, sure! Well, see, me and my boyfriend…" A scowling Chinese boy is dragged to her side. "His name is Wufei, by the way. Okay, so me and my boyfriend, were hanging out beside the buffet table, not that I was hungry or anything, but Wufei didn't want to dance and so I remained stuck by the…"

"Thank you, Miss Merian for that wonderful analysis…"

"I am done already? I didn't even get to answer anything."

"Heheh…no need to. We have someone else who was at the scene of the crime. Tell us your name and tell us what you saw, young man."

"Hello." A shy smile and a wave. "My name is Quatre Reberba Winner and this is my good friend, Trowa Barton, he is the resident…"

"I am sure he is, but could you tell us what happened tonight."

"Well, I couldn't see much, the smoke and haze from the party clouded my vision a bit, but I could make out Heero and Duo walking out together…"

"Did you just say that Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell walked out of the room…_together?_"

The Arabian nodded. "That's right. They are a cou…" A light jab on his elbow from his silent partner clammed him up immediately as he blushed at his almost disastrous blunder.

"So, could you tell us more on what happened?" the pesky reporter prodded on gently.

"Right. Well, Heero and Duo walked out of the party and then the next thing we heard were gunshots and then the explosion. When we ran outside to find out what was going on, we saw that they were bleeding very badly and then they were taken to the hospital by the ambulances. That's all."

"Are you a good friend to either boys?"

"Yes, we are. They are like brothers to us."

"It seems to me like there might be some sort of relationship between the two sworn enemies. Would I be correct in my assumption?"

Quatre stole a quick worried glance at his taller companion. Trowa only raised an eyebrow in response and shrugged lightly, before replying in a calm voice.

"Heero and Duo share most of their classes together, so I would assume that they would have established some sort of rapport."

Glenda pouted a bit. She had wanted to hear more juicy details. "Thank you so much, Mr. Barton and Mr. Winner, this must indeed be a sorrowful night for both of you."

And spinning back to face the camera, the red-haired woman placed another look of pained suffering on her face. "We have tried to contact Miss. Peacecraft about this issue, but she was nowhere to be found. We can only assume that the news has hit her very badly. We will try to get as many witness comments as we can. Until then, this is Glenda Burns reporting for the eleven o'clock news."

"And cut," the director said over the mayhem that surrounded them.

Glenda sighed and ran weary fingers through her hair. "Thank God for that. I think I need a drink."

&&&&

Deep within the solid brick walls that shielded the most expensive hospital in the land, in a room filled with enough medical equipment to make any doctor drool in delight, sat two 'severely burnt' teenage boys upon narrow beds with eyes pinned upon the television screen.

"Your friends are terrible at acting," came the dry comment.

"Yeah, well, this stuff itches," the long-haired boy complained as he scratched off the delicately made up 'burn' marks on his arm.

"Don't scratch it too hard, how else are we going to convince our fathers if you mess it up?"

The door was suddenly thrust open as the doctor/surgeon came into the room causing both boys to raise their eyes in faint alarm. Closing the door quietly behind him, Dr. Smart, a stout middle-aged man with shocking white hair almost balding, dressed in dark pants and a white lab coat, walked up to the boys and folded his arms across his chest; kind blue eyes darting between them in question. Being the Maxwell family doctor for what has seemed to be forever, he was quite familiar with the nuances of one Duo Maxwell, as for the other one…he preferred to keep his comments to himself.

"Your fathers are on their way as we speak," he said quietly. "Now, I don't know about you two, but I am quite fearful for my job here. If they find out…"

"Don't worry, Dr. Smart," Duo reassured gently. "We can handle them on our own, can't we, Heero?"

"Heero?"

The Japanese boy had not answered. His arms were now wrapped around his body protectively, as he shuddered lightly at some unseen image. Duo frowned at the movement and swallowed tightly. He had considered this part of the plan, their father's reactions to the whole thing being one big hoax. Duo had been quite confident in his ability to convince his father, and Heero had seemed not to really care about it, but now…

"Is everything alright, Mr. Yuy? Perhaps some hot milk should ease your mind until your father arrives."

Heero was still unable to speak. His blue eyes now held a far away look that Duo had never quite seen before. Turning back to the concerned doctor, he nodded curtly. "I will take care of it, doc. We just need some time alone."

The older man nodded amiably. "As you wish. I will be sure to alert you when your fathers arrive."

"Thanks a lot…for everything," Duo said almost shyly. "And I hope you don't lose your job. You are my favoritest doctor in the whole world, after all."

The doctor chuckled lightly. "Thank you, Master Duo. I aim to please. You take care of him, okay? And if he doesn't snap out of it, you just give me a call."

Duo watched as the doctor closed the door behind him, before jumping off his bed and walking over to the adjacent one. They had been dressed in the customary green hospital gowns, although they had their boxers underneath it all. The make-up artists that Duo had hired had done a damn fine job in making their 'wounds' look real. Heero had a deep 'gash' right above his left eye, although his hair hid some of it and coupled with the other tiny 'cuts' and 'bruises,' Heero looked like walking road kill. Duo had been made up in similar fashion, except one of his 'broken' arms was encased in a sling.

Hopping unto the bed beside his silent lover, Duo leaned his head against his shoulder and wrapped an arm around the slight waist. He could feel the tension within the young body and his heart cried out silently. Increasing the pressure of his embrace, Duo raised his head and placed a light kiss upon Heero's shoulder.

"Are you afraid?" he asked softly.

For a moment, Duo thought he would be ignored until the heavy sigh and a soft 'Hai' was heard. Another tense silence reigned as each thought of what the consequences could be for both of them.

And in a voice that was filled with worry and undeniable fear, Heero whispered out hoarsely. "What…what if this backfires, Duo? What if they want us to be apart? I don't think I could…"

Duo swallowed tightly and shook his head. "I don't want to think about that, Heero. It has to work. I just know it will. Let them get a chance to meet each other and then…maybe…"

"My father is a stubborn bastard, Duo. He cannot accept things that are so blatant in front of him. I know what he can do. He will take me away from you. I just know he will."

"Then I will just have to come after you," Duo replied softly, his violet eyes filled with a tenderness that sent a lump down the other boy's throat. "I will follow you to the ends of the earth, Heero, even if it kills me."

Heero placed a hand beneath Duo's chin, raising his head to drown himself within the twin pools of deepest purple. "Is that a promise, Duo?" he asked almost desperately. "Are you willing to risk everything you have ever known just to be with me?"

Duo nodded solemnly as their lips made the slow journey towards each other. "Yes, Heero. I will be with you…until the end."

It was slow and sweet. Filled with promises, hopes and fears. Trembling bodies tried to control pent up anxieties as they worshipped each other in loving reverence. Finally releasing each other for much needed air, Heero gently traced a finger over Duo's swollen lips, his mouth opening and shutting for several seconds as he tried to muster up the courage to say the words.

"Duo…I…I…"

_Oh, please say it, Heero. Say it for the both of us._

Heero saw the look and groaned in response. "Kami-sama, Duo-chan…Ai…Ai Shiteru."

The young heir to the Maxwell fortune grinned from ear to ear as he latched himself unto the surprised boy in a fierce embrace, which ended up sending them toppling onto the bed. "Ah, Heero! I love you so much, too! Let's get married and have lots and lots of babies!"

Heero gasped in surprise before punching him playfully. "Baka. How did you know what that meant?"

Duo chuckled and buried his face within Heero's neck. "I paid a visit to the language section in the library and buried myself in Japanese books."

Raising up his head, he smiled at the stupefied look on his lover's face. "So, you see, I do know some words. Finally figured out what 'koi' meant, too….and koibito and koishii…"

The sudden knock on the door caused them to jump apart in guilt before Dr. Smart's head was seen. "I think you boys had better get ready, your fathers are here."

"Remember what we talked about?" Duo said quickly, as he made his way towards his side of the room.

"As clear as day, Duo," the doctor replied as a nurse came in to draw the dark green curtain that separated the two boys.

Duo winced at the action and had to control himself from jumping out of his bed and lying on Heero's, much as that would have caused some major repercussions. He smiled wanly at the nurse as he was tucked gently within his blankets. She arranged the huge bouquet of flowers that adorned his bedside table and whispered softly.

"Good luck, Master Duo. I hope everything works out for you two."

"Thanks. You don't know how much I needed that."

And closing his eyes, in semblance of sleep, his heart beating at a mile a minute, he waited in fearful anticipation.

&&&&

Odin burst into the Emergency ward, his dark coat flapping behind him like he was the devil himself. Eyes filled with worry, frustration and fear searched frantically for the main doctor.

"Who is in charge here? Where is my son?! I have to see him!!"

Dr. Smart walked out of his office, in as casual a manner as he could muster and smiled in greeting to the frazzled-looking man before him. "Ah, Mr. Yuy. I am glad you could make it…"

"What the hell are you smiling about?! My son is in there somewhere…where the hell is he, anyway?!"

"Please, Mr. Yuy." Dr. Smart tried to control the taller man that was already making his way towards the rooms. If Odin was to find it before David came by, the entire thing was ruined. Working and thinking quickly, the doctor blocked the panicked man and placed strong hands upon his shoulder.

"You must listen to me, Mr. Yuy. Heero is currently under heavy sedation, so you might have to wait for several more hours before he can wake up and have some sense of orientation about him."

"I have to see him!! Don't you understand?! He is all I have left!!"

The kind doctor's eyes softened in understanding. He wished the rest of the world could have a chance to see the new and vulnerable side to the usually scowling man. For the first time in his life, he was sure that he was finally getting a chance to see the real Odin Yuy. That beneath all of the tough façade, was a man with a heart who did care for the ones he loved.

"I understand, Mr. Yuy. But my statement still stands. I advise you to wait in the lounge room. It is private and you will not be disturbed until your son is awake."

Odin took a shuddering breath and ran his fingers through his hair. "Of course, I…I have had a pretty rough night. I will wait for him, then…"

"Good! The room is right over here. There is coffee and some pastries if you need anything to eat. You do look a little pale if I may say so myself."

Odin eyed the smiling doctor and felt a small tug on his own lips. "Hai. I will take your advice. But make sure you call me as soon as he shows signs of reviving. Understood?!"

"As you wish, Mr. Yuy."

With a slight bow, he ushered the billionaire into the room, shutting the door behind him quietly. None of them had given the slightest notice to the silent black-clad figure beside the hallways.

&&&&

David was less exuberant in his entrance, but nonetheless as frantic. In tow and barely able to keep up was Relena who had followed the ambulance, but had waited silently in the wings for her uncle to show up.

"Where is Duo?!" he bellowed out to no one in particular. "Where is my son?!"

"Uncle David!"

The man spun around and blinked in confusion at the black leather-clad cat-woman before him. "Who are you?!"

Shaking her head, she took off the mask and shook her long tresses free. "It's me, Relena. I have been waiting for you."

"Where is Duo? Where have they kept him?!"

Relena shrugged and nodded towards the approaching doctor. "Here comes Dr. Smart, now. I guess we had better ask him."

David needed no second bidding, in a flash he had the slightly panicked doctor in a shaking fit, shouting out questions at a mile a minute.

"Uncle David!! Please stop shaking him like that! Give him a chance to figure out an answer!"

The poor doctor could barely get his thought processes functioning for several seconds. Kami, Duo owed him big time for the abuse he had suffered tonight at the hands of the two men. Smiling in gratitude to Relena, he straightened out his tie and turned to face the red-faced Maxwell.

"Mr. Maxwell, sir. I can assure you that your son is doing quite well. The burns are not that extensive and at the moment he is under heavy sedation. We will be sure to alert you as soon as he awakens from his state. Meanwhile, I think you ought to take a rest in our private lobby. There are some refreshments there that should sustain you throughout the wait."

"Refreshments?!" came the incredulous cry. "You are talking about refreshments, when my son is dying in there?!"

"Sir…"

"Uncle David..,," Relena cut in quickly as she realized that the man was going to prove quite difficult to convince. "Please, Uncle David, I think we should listen to the doctor. You are in no condition to be standing about like this. Some nice cup of tea or coffee should calm you down a bit, ne? I mean, you wouldn't want Duo to see you looking all frazzled up."

David looked like he was about to protest again when he finally slumped his shoulders and ran weary fingers through his hair. "Fine. I will wait. But only for a little while now! As soon as I finish my coffee, I am going to see my son, do I make myself clear?!"

Dr. Smart smiled weakly. "Of course, Mr. Maxwell. Please, follow me this way."

Walking behind the taller man, the doctor stole a quick glance towards the brown-haired girl, his eyes speaking volumes. Relena could only smile back in reassurance and give a thumbs-up sign. If only she really felt that confident inside.

"Here we are." The doctor moved in front of David to push open the door, expecting to see the other man sitting in the room. His eyes widened, however, as he noticed the quite empty place. Frowning in bewilderment, he was pushed aside gently by David, who had now made his way into the room and was already heading straight for the coffee machine. Smart gave another worried glance to Relena and the girl could only shrug before they all heard the sound of water running in the restroom that was situated at the end of the room. Comprehension dawned quickly and the kind old man smiled at David and Relena before excusing himself. Much as he would have loved to see the fireworks that were sure to ensue, he didn't want to get his head chopped off in the process. And being the smart man that he was (no pun intended), he left them to their own devices.

&&&&

David's brow furrowed in irritation as he sipped his coffee. "I thought that damn doctor said this place was private."

Relena helped herself to a doughnut and a cup of iced tea, taking a bite and chewing carefully in thought. Swallowing, she nodded. "Yes, he did say it was."

"Yeah, well whoever it is had better not ask me any damn questions. I am in no mood for that, tonight."

Relena, who had been surveying the room all the while, jerked to attention as she noticed the black cell-phone that had been left on the coffee table. Still in its case with the initials OY printed in gold on it, she hoped and prayed that David wouldn't see it just yet…

"Hmm…looks like someone left his cell phone here…what the?"

Relena's one thought. _Damn._

David, who had lifted the phone to be sure, looked as pale as a ghost as he noticed the initials and outright name upon the small screen. David's mind whirled in confusion. It couldn't be. It was some kind of mistake. A cruel joke played by someone who wanted to hurt him and hurt him pretty badly. Odin couldn't possibly be here, in this same building, in this same goddamn room!

"Un…Uncle David?" Relena squeaked out softly, noticing the way David had now clenched the phone within his grasp in a death grip. If he wasn't careful, he was bound to break it into tiny pieces. "Are…are you okay, Uncle?" A dumb question to ask in her opinion because he was clearly not all right.

"He will be okay as soon as he gives me back my phone."

Both parties spun around sharply at the sound of the low drawl that came from the man now leaning against the wall with his hands stuck into the pockets of his coat. Uncombed dark locks covered lowered lashes that David knew hid eyes of darkest night. Eyes that had once burned through his soul, leaving him a mass of tangled emotions. Eyes that could melt like molten lava during the heat of passion…

"Dammit! What the hell are you doing here?!" he muttered out harshly, as he kicked himself for even daring to think of such things at this time.

Odin, not looking up, replied coolly. "The same reason you are…_David_. My son has been put in the hospital, thanks to your sorry excuse for an heir."

For the second time in as many minutes, David was rendered speechless. He sputtered indignantly and darted a quick glance at his silent companion, as if asking her to witness the way he was being treated.

"Damn you to hell, Odin! You call my son a sorry excuse? Well, what do you think your precious little boy did? Huh? How the fuck did my Duo get in here?!"

Gritting his teeth and tightening his fist deeper into his pockets, Odin finally raised up his eyes to pin the blazing depths upon the similarly angry blue eyes before him. "Your _Duo_ is nothing more than a nuisance and a goddamn trouble maker!!"

"Oh, is that right?!" David spat out coldly. "Well, I guess that saying is always right, isn't it, Odin?! It fucking takes one to fucking know one!!"

"What the fuck are you trying to say?!"

David smirked in satisfaction and lifted a finger to point rudely at Odin's face. "I am saying, my dear Odin. You were, are and always will be a nuisance, a trouble maker and a goddamn son-of-a-bitch for the rest of your miserable, fucking life!!"

And in a move that David never saw coming, Odin delivered a swift but painful blow upon David's jaw, sending the other man sprawling onto a couch in disbelief.

His eyes filled with conflicting emotions that ranged from anger to hurt, Odin whispered out icily with his chest heaving in barely controlled fury. "I might have led a miserable life, David, but that doesn't give you the right to talk to me in that way. Why don't we just ignore each other for the rest of the evening and wait here as we were told to before we can meet our sons, hmm? Do you think you can do that? Or is that so hard for a man of your intellect to grasp?"

David rubbed his jaw, ignoring the help offered by the stunned Relena, as he sat upright on the comfortable seat. Alternating his glances between the floor and Odin's face, he muttered out in response. "Fine. We will wait and please try not to speak to me or I will be inclined to pay back the favor." With that, he tossed back the phone towards Odin, who barely caught it with a slight grunt of surprise. Getting to his feet, David made his way towards the restroom.

"I gotta get some ice on this thing, Relena. Could you get me some…"

"Sure thing, Uncle David," Relena replied fervently, quite eager to leave the suddenly claustrophobic room. Boy, did she have a lot to tell Heero and Duo. And placing a reassuring smile on her face, she waved to the silent men and left the room.

And as soon as Relena stepped out, David proceeded to lock himself in the bathroom, leaving the Japanese man alone with his turbulent thoughts.

&&&&

Relena was faced with nurses and other medical personnel scurrying about to their places, as if acting like they all hadn't been eavesdropping. Shaking her head in amusement, she walked up to the flustered-looking nurse and asked quietly.

"Could you please take me to Room 254?"

She barely got into the room when she was attacked by both sides with questions: 'What happened? Where are they? What did they say? What did they do? Is the plan working? Do you think they will ever talk to each other? Talk to us, Relena!!'

"Alright!!" She finally screamed out in frustration. "Sheesh…you both are worse than your fathers!" She grumbled as she sat upon Duo's bed. Eyeing the two worried-looking faces before her, she sighed and began to tell them of all that had taken place so far.

Twenty minutes later, a stumped and disbelieving Duo plopped unto Heero's bed. "I don't get it. Why would he punch him? I mean…if it was that bad…oh, god…" He buried his face within his palms and groaned. "What have I done?!"

Heero placed a reassuring arm across the shaking shoulders and cradled the sobbing boy to himself. "Don't beat yourself up, Duo," he crooned softly, placing light kisses upon the chestnut-colored silky hair. "If things don't work out…we can always elope."

Duo raised a tear-streaked face to give a 'you have got to be kidding me' look to Heero, aware that Relena was snickering somewhere in the background. "I think the hospital chemicals have fogged over your thinking cells, Heero."

"No, koi," Heero drawled lazily, as he leaned forward to lick away the tears. This earned a loud 'eeeeew' from Relena as both boys chuckled at her discomfort.

"I think that would be soooo romantic," Relena said in an exaggerated show of lovesickness.

"Oh, cut that out!" Duo grumbled. "I am in deep shit and you are talking about romance…oommpff!" His protests were cut off again, as Heero claimed his lips in another kiss, this time sending Relena's eyes rolling with mock pained suffering.

"Alright, that's it," she said lightly, as she hopped off the bed. "When you two decide to get some air, let me know, okay?"

Duo managed to tear his lips away from his clearly turned-on mate (Duo's observations had also come to notice that his mate did have a tendency to get aroused at the worst opportunities…for example: last week in the middle of horse riding lessons…let's not even go there) to gasp out raggedly to the smiling girl. "Than…Thanks a lot…shit, Heero not there…ah…I mean…thanks for every…oh, god, Heero…"

"Oh, for crying out loud," she cried out in exasperation. "I will be in the lobby."

No answer was received as the two boys had gone back to sealing their lips together in another silent communion. Sighing to herself, she slipped out of the room quietly and made her way towards another waiting room. She stared at the clock and rubbed her hands tiredly. This was going to be a very long night.

&&&&

He hadn't meant to punch him. Okay, he hadn't meant to punch him that _hard_. He stared at his aching knuckles in silent fascination. The hand that had once worshipped _that_ body, had now caused pain. He snorted quietly. How ironic. Glancing at his watch, he stole another look towards the shut bathroom door. A good ten minutes had gone by and yet David had not come out of there. The girl he had sent…Relena…had not returned with the ice either. Feeling restless again, he got to his feet and walked around the room, his heart still racing with the very thought of David actually being in the same room with him.

He had been in the bathroom himself, when he had heard the low rumble of the deep voice, earlier. For a moment, Odin had been upset at the thought of anyone else coming in to disturb his privacy, but had been shocked to the core of his being as he had peeked through the door to notice the sturdy build of the tall brown-haired man before him. He had found himself clenching the door handle tightly, his mouth having gone dry at the mere thought of actually having to face David. After so many years, how could he possibly have such feelings for a man who clearly still despised him? He had sworn that he was over the teenage crush. He had married, had a child, lost his wife and never married or dated again. He had fulfilled his role in life. A role his father had made painfully clear. Produce an heir. And he had done so. So why hadn't Odin found himself another woman? He could have had any number of eligible bachelorettes all over the world and in the colonies. There was no shortage of them, but yet he had declined. Everyone had attributed it to a sense of duty and loyalty to his late wife, whom he had admired, albeit reluctantly.

No, Odin had never found the time for another woman, because of the certain image of another that was engrained in his mind and heart forever. He sighed and rubbed a hand across his eyes. So what was he expecting? That David would give up his entire family and come running off with him into the sunset? How stupid and foolish. And yet here they were, fighting over nothing, like a bunch of kids, when their own flesh and blood lay dying on their beds.

With a low grunt, he suddenly stepped out of the room and made his way towards the standing ice-dispensing machine. Getting out a small bag of the frozen cubes, ignoring the looks of curious interest that flew his way, Odin walked back into the room, making sure the door was firmly shut and proceeded to bang his free hand against the bathroom door.

"Hey! How long do you plan on being in there?!" he asked loudly. An eerie silence greeted him.

"Look, I am sorry for punching you…much as I would like to do that again, but I got you some ice for your jaw."

Still nothing.

Sighing loudly, Odin leaned against the door and began to speak to no one in particular, although he knew that David was listening.

"I don't expect you to run out of there with your arms wide open to accept my apologies…I can't believe I am doing this, though." This he muttered softly to himself. Taking another deep breath, he placed the bag of ice on a side table and stuck his cold hands into his pockets again as he closed his eyes and continued speaking. He still wasn't sure on why he suddenly felt like he had to talk to the other man, for it was like an itch that was slowly eating away at him. He had to say a few things, or the itch would kill him. And even if David never answered him, at least he would have taken care of that.

"And I don't expect us to become friends over night. After all, we have been raised to think that we are enemies, right? And as enemies we are not supposed to have…to feel certain kinds of things for one another." He stopped and hugged the coat around him, shivering slightly from some unforeseen chill. "My father…my father never gave me a chance to really live, David. I never knew what it was like to have a father's embrace or a heart-to-heart talk with anyone. I never really knew my mother. I mean when she was alive, she was so busy with her friends and parties, I was just a side show, a little thing by the wayside, you know." Odin closed his eyes as the memories came. "All I ever wanted…was to feel…to feel…human and do you want to know some really shitty ironic twist of fate, David? Hn…the day that I really felt alive…was the day I…I…took your picture."

The sound of something crashing to the floor in the bathroom broke the silence and Odin smiled.

"Surprise, surprise, huh? I was a photographer, amateur then. I was sixteen, seventeen…doesn't really matter, but what matters was that I saw your face and then…I can't explain it, even to this day, David. Hmph…how could anyone's smile and laughter make me feel so queasy inside? How could anyone make me see the beauty in so dismal a world? How could I have fallen for someone I was supposed to hate?"

At this point, Odin could have sworn he heard David gasp in shock and the heavy thud of him sitting down, either on the floor or on the toilet seat cover, he couldn't tell. The itch was slowly dissipating and he was determined to let it vanish for good.

"Hai, David. I, Odin Yuy, the cold-hearted, the mean, the ugly, the bastard was head over heels for a boy who could care less about me. And it hurt, David. It hurt every single day. I would take a picture of you whenever I had the chance and run home like a lovesick puppy just to lock up myself in the darkroom and watch your image appear. I always wondered what you would feel like, what you would taste like, if you could ever, possibly smile for me and only me. I did not want to share you with anyone, but then again, I never had you, did I?"

"I stopped taking pictures after you caught me in the park that night. Hai, it was me, not some paparazzi, as you must have thought. I saw the sadness in you and I knew without a doubt that you were just like me. Having to remain locked in a prison where living by your innermost emotions was something so foreign and cold. I swore never again to use you like that. You meant way too much to me."

"Call it stalking if you like, but I couldn't stop following you. I had to know of everything you did and my stupid father thought I was out to get you for revenge or something. I convinced him to send me to Randolph's, which wasn't exactly far from your school. After all, sworn enemies could not stay in the same school, right? And then that party…that night…"

Odin stopped and opened up his eyes to stare at nothing in particular. His vision got a bit blurry as the pain seared through him. And in a voice that trembled slightly, Odin continued. "I had just planned on being there, just to get a chance to see you before going back to my boring existence and then…you…you walked up to me." Odin gave a bitter laugh and raked fingers through his hair. "To _me_! I swear, David. I could have run out of there, but I was too frozen to make a move. I couldn't believe it. You were clearly drunk and I felt a bit bad that the circumstances couldn't have been different, but then again…I was willing to take whatever chance I got. And when you kissed me…I knew without a doubt in my mind that you, David Maxwell, had done the impossible. You had made me human again."

Odin stared blindly at the now melting cubes of ice. Their residue now leaving tiny trails of liquid over the tabletop and onto the floor.

"I saw what your father did to you that morning, and yes, I was hurt that you didn't stand up for me. I died inside when you lied to save yourself. I bore the beatings and the pain, knowing that at least, even if we never got to see each other again, I had had a chance to be with you. I knew what it was like to touch your skin and to feel alive in every single pore on my body. I would have gladly taken a million beatings just to have that chance again. But it never did come, did it, David? We both grew up and went our separate ways. We both grew up to carry on the _tradition_. So blinded by our sense of duty to a family that had no care for our emotions that we let the very ones we love die for something we were once guilty of."

"We became our fathers, David. And do you want to know something? I would never, _ever_ want Heero to become like me. I think I have finally come to terms with the ways things are now. I know that my son has no interest in the female sex, much as I have tried to deny it…and I have no doubt that my son and…and…your own boy, may have found the one thing I tried so much to hide. I only want to see Heero happy, David, believe it or not. And if being with your boy makes him so, then…then…who am I to stop them?"

A tense silence reigned for several minutes before the sound of shuffling footsteps and the noiseless sound of the door opening, sent Odin stepping away from it. Dark blue clashed with endless obsidian depths as questions, uncertainty and a low ebb of a sort of peace, flowed between them. Finally, David broke the silence with a softly asked question.

"What makes you think our sons…want each other?"

Odin shrugged. "Well, they were involved in the accident…together."

"So?"

"So, it probably means that they were standing side-by-side or something."

David raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't mean that they were together, _together_."

For a moment, Odin cocked his head to the side and stared at the other man in confusion, before he noticed the slight tug of a smile upon David's lips. Shaking his head, Odin chuckled lightly and reached for the bag of ice, and tipping David's head to the side, he placed it gently against the bruised and swelling flesh. They were close again now, David finding his face reddening at the proximity.

"That should take care of the swelling," Odin said quietly, trying hard to ignore the dull ache that flared through him. "I am really sorry for punching you that hard."

"It's okay. I guess I had it coming."

Both men stood silent again, their gazes locked at nothing in particular. Finally, David broke the silent with a quick.

"I have a wife, you know."

Odin smiled wistfully and nodded. "Hai, and a fine woman she is too."

"I am a grandfather, as well."

"I know that, David. Although, I am still older than you by a year."

David chuckled at the smirk and then his face grew serious again. "Odin, I…"

A lean finger was suddenly placed over his lips to silence him and David could only stare at his rival in confusion.

"Don't say it, David," Odin spoke carefully. "I know that you have a good life and a family that loves you. A reputation to protect and all of that. But just let me know one thing and then…I will be satisfied. Did you ever…" He cleared his throat and tried again. "Did you ever…have any sort of…of…feelings for me at all?"

David smiled and took away the finger from his mouth, to press it gently against his heart. "Yes, Odin. I fell in love with you from the first moment we met across that dance floor. And maybe that damn song my daughter used to keep playing was right, after all."

Odin tried hard to stop himself from grinning, but found it a wasted effort. "What song was that?"

"Hmm…it is kind of old…ah yes, 'I knew I loved you before I met you.' Ever heard of it?"

Odin shook his head. "No. I never did get to hear much of popular music in my day. I was stuck with Bach and Mozart, but I guess the words are right. I did love you before ever meeting you."

And raising David's hand to his lips, he placed a light kiss on them, laughing softly as he noticed the other man flush in embarrassment. Releasing his hands, albeit reluctantly, he sighed and turned to face the door.

"Ready to go see our boys, now?" he asked quietly.

David nodded. "I can't wait to see the looks on their faces when we tell them that we have worked things out between us…sort of…"

"Hai, Dave-kun. I can't wait to see their expressions either."


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Disclaimers: Do not own the Gundam Wing Characters

Pairings: 1x2, OY + DM

Warnings: AU, OOC, Yaoi and Shounen-ai

Author's Notes: Due to the chaotic nature of the higher powers that be at --;; Here is the next installment…FINALLY…So to all those that reviewed and are still reading…enjoy!! And thankies yaoi ashes for the plushie/huggles it to self/

PS: An amazing pic was done for this story by Jurty and was given to me as a gift from ZandraKhi. Arigato Zan, a million times over!! So if you would like to take a look at it, you can find it on my website.

**SIXTEEN: **

Heero sucked gently on Duo's tongue as his hands slid around and behind his body to slip into the dark-colored boxers he wore. With a low moan of approval, Duo pressed himself closer to the heated flesh now lying halfway above him, a whimper of need escaping him as he realized that he wouldn't get the chance to really touch Heero the way he would have liked to. Since his other arm was encased in the makeshift sling, it was beginning to take some sort of acrobatic maneuver to gain maximum pleasure with just one hand. But Duo's mantra had always been, if there was a will, then by God, there had to be a way.

He darted out his tongue to meet Heero's as they dueled together in their passionate embrace. Duo gasped and bucked sharply as he felt Heero's skilled fingers make their way towards his strained arousal. Responding quickly to the slow torture that was being inflicted upon him, Duo returned the favor, swallowing Heero's answering gasp within his mouth. They stroked each other, increasing the tempo as their lust gained momentum. Their harsh breaths became louder as they could barely keep their lips locked together anymore. Arching necks and thrusting blindly into each other's bodies, they shut their eyes as the pleasure became too intense for them to control anymore.

"Oh, God…Heero…Aaaah!!"

Heero leaned forward to kiss the curve of Duo's neck, biting down hard as he grunted at his own release into Duo's palm. His own fingers were coated with his lover's thick essence and raising them to his lips, he licked each one sensuously, watching with a smirk at the way Duo stared at him with each moan of pleasure that he made. Done with his tease, Heero claimed the swollen lips before him in a bruising kiss, having to shift back again and break the contact as their soiled clothes stuck to their skin. He frowned at the mess and nudged the still dazed-looking Duo to gain back his attention.

A lazy 'What?' was Duo's reply as he tried to capture Heero's mouth again.

"We are messy." Was Heero's calm reply. "We look like we just had sex…which we did and if our fathers come in right now, we are officially history."

That snapped Duo awake immediately as he sat up to stare at the stains that they had created. "Damn. This is all your fault, you know!"

Heero raised an eyebrow and got off the bed, pushing Duo off and onto the floor. "I didn't hear you complaining."

Duo pouted and rubbed his aching rear as he glared at his lover. "Well, if you hadn't begun the whole necking and stuff…"

"Stop your griping and help me with this stuff," Heero cut in sharply. "There should be some spare sheets and another clean pair of underwear for us to change into. Unless you would rather let us show our fathers just how far along we have come, no pun intended."

Duo flushed and shook his head rapidly, already seeing the tantrum his father was bound to pull at the very sight. And jumping to his feet, he began to help in the best way he could.

&&&&

Relena was somewhere in that wonderful realm of dreams, curled up like a baby on the comfortable couch, just about to kiss her knight in shining armor when the light tap on her shoulder burst the image in a flash. Protesting weakly, she turned her head away to burrow deeper into the pillow that had been provided for her when the tap became much harder.

"Get lost…" she muttered groggily. "Wake me up…in five days…"

A low chuckle greeted her request. "As you wish, Relena. We were just about to see Duo and Heero anyway…"

Somewhere in her subconscious, several tangled images arose. Duo…Heero…_we_…about to _see_….

Oh, crap!

She sat up abruptly and blinked wildly at the two concerned faces that were now staring at her. The two faces belonged to her uncle and his rival, but to her surprise they didn't look at all like they were about to go into another brawl. If anything, they both looked…happy? She shook her head and rubbed her hands over her eyes to make sure that this wasn't a continuation of her dreams, when a strong hand was suddenly placed against her forehead. She widened her eyes to stare at her uncle in disbelief, his dark violet depths staring back in worry.

"You really should be asleep, Relena. I am sorry for waking you up. You don't have to come with us, you know…"

"Oh, but I have to!" she said quickly, as she rose to her feet and brushed him aside a bit rudely. Turning back to place an apologetic and sheepish smile on her face, she muttered out quickly. "Umm…I have to go to the…to…the uum…."

"The restroom is the second door to your left," a nurse replied quickly. It was the same nurse that had wished Duo good luck, earlier.

"Oh, thank you," Relena gushed. "Hey, Uncle David, why don't you two wait here for me until I get back? Then we can all meet them together, okay?"

David slid a glance to his companion and shrugged. "Is that okay with you, Odin? She is really close to Duo, and I wouldn't want her to miss seeing him."

Odin smiled softly at David, ignoring the gasps of shock and surprise that went through the room at the image. "As you wish, Dave-kun. We will wait for a little bit longer."

David flushed in embarrassment at the double meaning behind the last sentence, before clearing his throat and glaring at the slack-jawed girl in front of him. "Well, move it along, Relena! We haven't got all night, here!" A light squeeze on his hand from Odin sent him faltering again before Relena's laughter rang out in the relatively quiet room. Before he could think, Relena had run up to him to squeeze him tightly in a bear hug and in similar fashion she grabbed the clearly shocked Odin into a hug as well. The poor man wasn't quite sure on what to make of this act as he patted her head tentatively, before he found sparkling blue eyes filled with tears staring back at him.

"So, you two are friends now, right? Right?!" she asked in a desperate voice as she stared at the two men.

The men stole another look at each other, before David nodded. "Yeah…I guess you could say that…"

Relena clapped her hands together and was unable to control the next words that flew out of her mouth. "Yes!! Duo's plan worked after all!!"

Combined cries of 'What?' and 'Nani?!' filled the room, as Relena gasped and covered her hand over her mouth.

_Oops! _

David narrowed his eyes and asked in a deceptively calm voice. "What plan did Duo contrive, Relena?"

The young girl laughed nervously and shook her head. "Uh…nothing, Uncle David. It's just me and my loud mouth running away from me again. I will be right back!"

And not waiting to see David's reaction, she spun around and ran quickly towards Room 254.

&&&&

"YOU WHAT?!"

"Honestly, Duo, I didn't mean to blurt it out!!"

"You stupid, stupid, stupid….argh!!"

"Don't call me stupid! I was too happy to think!!"

"Too happy about what?! What could have possibly made you that happy?!"

"Your father and Heero's dad are friends again, that's what!"

"I can't believe I allowed you to…what did you say?"

Relena folded her arms across her chest and looked smug. "I said your dads are both _buddies_ now."

Heero and Duo looked at each other and then at the girl as if she had grown an extra head. Walking up to her, Duo placed his hands upon her shoulders and spoke slowly as if he were speaking to a five-year-old. "Listen to me, Relena. Now, I know how much you want this thing to work and believe you me, Heero and I want the same thing too, but you have got to understand that we are talking about two guys who can't stand the sight of each other…"

Heero cut in. "And you don't really expect us to believe that in the space of an hour, years of hate and rivalry have just been dispensed."

She glared at the two of them and pushed Duo's hands off her shoulders. "I do not believe you two. I bring you both good news and you throw it back in my face." Turning to Heero, she asked coldly, "He called Uncle David, _Dave-kun_. And I have heard you call Duo that sometimes, so I would guess it is some form of endearment, right? And to make it worse, they shared the 'look' together."

Duo blinked. "The look?"

"Yes, Duo thick-head. The _look_. The same look you and Heero always give each other when you think no one else is looking."

Heero sniggered as Duo blanched. "Oh, my God!! Heero's dad wants to screw my dad?!"

"DUO!!"

"What? It's not as if they haven't done it before."

Relena made a sound of exasperation. "I give up. Talking to you both is a waste of time and energy. Anyways, they are almost here. I better get out of the way." And grabbing both boys in a hug, she waved and slipped out of the secret exit.

Duo and Heero stared at each other, trying hard not to scream at the possibility that Relena might have been right. Walking up to each other, they pressed their foreheads together as hearts raced wildly.

"Do you think she was telling the truth?" Heero asked softly, as he reached up to tuck a loose strand of Duo's locks behind his ear.

Duo nodded. "Relena is a good actress, but not that good. So, I don't really think she is making all of that stuff…"

The door was suddenly thrust open as the two boys stood immobile in shock, watching with widening eyes at the thunderous expressions on their fathers' faces. Duo was about to slide away when Heero pulled him tighter to his side and tightened his lips in open defiance at the scowling older man.

"Heero."

"Father."

"Duo…"

"Dad?" came the slightly flustered squeak from Duo as he noticed Dr. Smart stick his head in to smile in apology. Several medical personnel had begun to crowd the hallway, watching the growing developments in interest, before David gave them a flash of a smile and practically slammed shut the door in their faces.

A tense silence fell as the four males stared at each other, emotions slowly running high as each sought for the right way to begin. Finally, unable to take the silence any longer, Duo began to speak out in a harried rush.

"Look, dad. I can explain everything…"

"Oh, can you?" David asked in that same quiet tone that Duo knew to be the big ol' calm before the fucking shit hit the fan routine.

"Dad, I…"

"Do you think deceiving us by pretending to be involved in an accident was your brilliant way of getting us to talk to each other?!"

Heero and Duo exchanged a glance in dismay. They knew they shouldn't have listened to Relena. Odin's voice cut in coldly.

"I am ashamed of your behavior, Heero. I thought that you would have had more sense than to pull a stunt like this with…_that_ boy…"

Duo squirmed in discomfort as Heero squeezed his hand in reassurance before replying in a tight voice. "This boy happens to be the one I plan to be with, father."

"Like hell he will!" David bellowed out angrily. "No son of mine is going to be mates with someone as worthless as a Yuy!!"

"Dad!!" Duo cried out in frustration. He shook his head. "But…but, I thought…"

"But you thought what, Duo Maxwell?" David asked coldly.

"Relena said…"

"Oh, I see…so even Relena was in on it as well. I suppose the entire fucking planet is in on it as well, right?"

"Dad…"

"I gotta give you credit, boy. You sure do know how to get a job well done."

Heero noticed the look of despair on his lover's face and suddenly got angry. "How can you do this to him? How can you deny us the one thing that can make us happy?!"

Odin turned his face away and growled softly. "This isn't about your happiness. I am doing the best for you."

"The best for me?!" Heero asked incredulously. "You aren't doing a damn thing for me, father! If you wanted to see me happy, then you would let me be with Duo!"

"Impossible!! You have disgraced me enough with this stunt! First thing Monday morning , you are leaving Randolph!! No questions asked!"

Heero's grip on Duo's hands tightened till he felt he could almost hear the bones cracking. He grit his teeth and spat out coldly. "I am not leaving without Duo. I intend to stay with him whether you like it or not!"

"Well, that is just too bad for you, my boy, because Duo isn't going to be staying with you," David answered. "Come on, Duo, let's go home."

The young heir glared at the older man and shook his head fervently before turning around to pull Heero's head down to his to crush their lips together in a kiss that left the two older men stunned and Heero quite surprised. But warming up to the act, the Japanese boy complied and wrapped his arms around the lithe waist of his lover, crushing their bodies together as they ignored their stupefied audience.

David's face went a bright shade of red as he dared to steal a glance at his likewise stumped companion. He quickly turned away as Odin spun around to look at him, pretending to be interested in any thing other than at the other man and the way his son was practically eating up…

"Okay, that's it! Jesus! Get some air, will you?!"

Duo, who had expected any other reprimand than that, released Heero abruptly and blinked in confusion at the two smirking men. "What…?"

Odin shook his head and stuck his hands into his pockets. "I guess our bluff didn't faze them a bit, David. You have a stubborn boy there."

David chuckled. "So is your boy, Heero. I am quite impressed."

Heero and Duo felt like they had been pole-axed. They had been had. Their own joke now rubbed up in their faces by their own fathers. They gaped in disbelief as the two men burst out laughing. Heero was the most surprised of the both of them. He had never seen his father laugh, let alone smile happily at him. He suddenly felt like he was probably in the wrong room, with an imposter trying to be his father. He was almost…_afraid _of this new side. Odin stopped as he noticed the conflicting emotions dance across his son's face. He nodded to David, who understood immediately and motioned to Duo.

"Come on, son," David said softly. "I think we ought to leave these two alone for a while, don't you think?"

Duo eyed Heero, who still had a grip on his hand, and smiled softly in encouragement. "I will be back soon, Heero," he whispered into his ear. "I will be waiting for you." And giving him a light peck on his cheek, Duo left the room with his father in tow, leaving Odin and Heero alone.

Odin suddenly felt awkward again, something he had begun to feel after the day Heero had actually yelled at him back at Lord Byron's office. He began to pace up and down the room, his nervous habit kicking in as he tried to find the right words.

Finally, he spoke out quietly. "Why don't you have a seat, Heero?"

The boy remained motionless for a minute, before moving stiffly to his bed and plopping down on it, watching with wary eyes as his father sat down beside him. It took all of Heero's control not to leap out of the room and to scream at the top of his lungs for his real father to show up. He clasped his hands together in his lap and stared mutely at the plain designs on the floor, his body as tense as a bowstring as the older man began to speak.

"I presume you are confused, Heero and I don't blame you for that," Odin began quietly. "I haven't been the greatest father in the world and…and…"

"You couldn't help it, father," Heero interrupted. "You were raised that way…"

"How…?"

"Martha told me everything," Heero cut in, still not looking at his face. "She said that grandpa was not a very good father to you and so you were raised to be the same way."

"Oh…I see. And what else did Martha tell you?"

Heero shrugged. "Nothing really. Although, I always did wonder why you never got married or dated other women again." This time Heero raised his head to pin Prussian depths on his father's face, noticing the quick hue of pink that dusted the older man's cheeks with slight amusement. Not waiting for his father to answer, he continued softly. "You aren't exactly… straight…are you, father?"

Odin coughed nervously and turned his face away. "I prefer the term bi, Heero."

"Well…I am gay, father. I guess you know that now, right?"

Odin chuckled. "Well, if I hadn't known that already, your performance with Duo would have confirmed that quite easily."

Both men smiled tentatively at each other, before Heero turned away again. Odin felt a tug of emotion in his chest as he reached out to pat Heero's hand, noticing the slight tense of Heero's body at the contact. He winced inwardly. He would have to really work hard at getting his son to feel comfortable around him.

"You love him, don't you, Heero?" he asked softly.

Heero nodded vigorously, brown locks falling into his eyes with the vehement response. "Hai. I love him with every fiber of my being."

Odin sighed and stared at the empty bed across from them. "Then I won't stop you from realizing your happiness, Heero. That was all that ever mattered to me, anyway."

Heero blinked and stared at the new man that sat next to him. "Father…"

"Hai, Hee-chan. You have my permission."

Heero felt ridiculously close to tears, but his training had not permitted him to show such an emotion before his father and he had to grip his hands into fists to stop himself from crumbling. "But…but…what about your reputation?"

Odin shrugged. "We live in a free society, Heero. Even I have noticed that. So, everyone would just have to deal with the news whether they like it or not."

But Heero wasn't finished yet. "And what about an heir?! I can't give birth and neither can Duo and I know how much you want the family business to remain…well…in the family."

"Do you not think that I have thought about that?" Odin asked with a smirk. "Much as it is going to be a major blow on my pride…David and I are willing to go into a partnership of sorts…"

Heero could have jumped for joy, if he hadn't been the kind of person he was. "So…so…"

"So, since Helen, David's daughter, already has a son of her own, the business will be just fine once you two decide not to continue with it anymore. I am sure the Maxwell-Yuy Corporation would be run quite efficiently with both of you as CEOs."

Heero's arms itched with the effort. He wanted to; oh, so much…to hold his father, just once. Noticing the slightly worried look on the older man's face, he gave up the fight and fell against the strong chest, the tears finally slipping out of his eyes as he buried his face into the dark shirt, the strong arms of his father encircling him in an embrace that had been so long denied to him. Odin smiled in contentment, as he increased the pressure of his hold, realizing that he had never held Heero this close to him before. He lowered his lips to press a light kiss upon the ruffled brown hair that had been inherited from him, raising his head as the door creaked open to reveal David's questioning look. Nodding in response, the two men exchanged a grin and David left just as quietly as he had come in.

For how long they remained in that position, they didn't really know or care.

For father and son had to make up for lost time.

&&&&

David stared in disbelief at the two teenagers licking their sundaes in front of him, before shaking his head and asking, dumbfounded.

"How did she get a hold of my journal?!"

Relena popped a cherry into her mouth and licked off her spoon before smiling. "Remember the house in Summershire?"

Duo rolled his eyes as he searched for his elusive cherry that had sunk to the bottom of his cup. "Well, duh, Relena…he grew up there."

Relena nudged him playfully and continued. "Well, Helen finally decided to move there with Tony and the kids and she said that she was going through the house looking at stuff and then she moved to the attic and saw so much stuff, she didn't know what to do with it all. Then she said she saw a box of your high school stuff and was going through it, when she noticed the book at the bottom of your box. Naturally, being the curious girl that she was, she opened it up and said that she completely lost track of time as she became so engrossed in it."

David sputtered. "Who gave her the right to read it? Who gave any of you the right to read it?"

"Aww…come on, dad. If we hadn't read it you wouldn't be here now with Odin about to jump your bones in a heartbeat."

"DUO!!"

"Alright!! I got it!!" the boy yelled in excitement as he raised the cherry out of the glass. He popped it into his mouth, before darting wide amethyst depths at his flabbergasted audience. "What? What did I say?!"

Both David and Relena shook their heads and turned back to their desserts, before Duo broke the silence again. "Hey, dad…"

"What is it, Duo?"

"How…I mean…how do you feel about Odin now? I know you still love mom and all but…"

David frowned and stared blindly into his melting chocolate treat. "We are going to take things slow, Duo. I have no intentions of divorcing your mother, not unless she wants to…."

Relena bit her lower lip. "Are you going to tell her about it?"

David nodded slowly. "I have no other choice. It will be unfair to her to keep this to myself any longer now that most of my family members know. So, it's entirely up to her and to you kids too," David said with a small smile. "I wouldn't want to do something that wouldn't meet with your approval."

Duo grinned back and slid next to his father to place an arm around his neck (thankfully, the fake sling had been taken off), squeezing it gently in reassurance. "Hey, you have my blessing here."

Relena laughed and moved up his other side, sliding her own arm around his neck. "Mine too."

"Hn. Looks like we are just in time for the reunion party."

The trio chuckled at Odin's dry comment as they watched the two Japanese men sit across from them, although Heero had made sure he was right next to Duo. They smiled happily at each other before closing the gap between them to share another kiss that sent their fathers and the girl into sighs of exasperation.

"For Christ's sake…" David groaned.

"Honestly, those two should get a room…" Relena snorted as she excused herself. "I have to make some phone calls, excuse me…"

Odin smirked and leaned forward to grasp David's hands within his. "Hey, Dave-kun…"

David lifted up the corners of his mouth in a responding smirk. "Yes, Odin."

"We have about three more hours till dawn."

David raised an eyebrow in question.

Raising David's hands to his lips again, he asked huskily, eyes darkening with an emotion that sent David's pulse racing. "Would you like to take a walk with me around the lawns? We have so much to talk about, ne?"

David could only nod mutely as he allowed himself to be escorted out of his seat, leaving the two boys still locked together in their embrace.

Odin placed an arm around David's waist as they made their way out of the room. "Think they will notice we are gone?" he asked lightly.

David chuckled and shook his head. "Nah…those two have it pretty bad. I wouldn't be surprised if they do die from lack of oxygen."

Odin suddenly stopped as they got to a relatively empty section of the hospital, his eyes locked unto the violet depths before him. And in a voice that was filled with emotion, he croaked out softly.

"I love you, David Maxwell. Always have and always will, no matter how long it takes, I will always be here for you."

And surprising both of them, he leaned forward and brushed their lips together gently, years of pent-up and hidden need rising to the surface as David groaned in reply to respond feverishly. Releasing each other and panting for air, they laughed nervously.

"I am…sorry…." David said softly, a bit embarrassed at his wanton behavior.

Odin chuckled and pulled him to his side as they resumed their walk. "Never feel sorry, David, for anything we do from here on out. You no longer owe any one anything. I think we have finally paid our debts in full, ne?"

"Yeah…I guess so. But, Odin….how do we tell everyone about…us??"

Odin took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He had thought about the possibility. Opening them again, he smiled at his distressed-looking companion with reassurance. "Once they have seen our sons out in the open…and given the people a time to adjust to us being business partners, I am sure that both of us being together won't come as a surprise to them. They will just have to accept that, or they can all bloody well go to hell."

David laughed at the mock indignant look on Odin's face before wrapping his own arm around his waist. "So, Odin, what do you think we should do with the boys for some quality fun?"

"Fun? What do you mean by _fun_?"

David blinked in disbelief. "Oh, God…don't tell me I have to teach you that too…"

&&&&

Duo sat upon Heero's lap and pouted into his empty sundae cup. "I can't believe they left us here. Where the hell did they go to anyway?"

Heero shrugged and continued to draw lazy circles on Duo's back. "I guess they needed some more time to be alone." He suddenly sat upright and smiled at Duo. "My father hugged me."

Duo grinned back in response as he kissed the tip of his nose. "No kidding?"

Heero nodded happily and encircled his lover's waist, leaning closer to kiss his lips again. "I couldn't believe it myself…"

"Can't you guys give it up already?!"

"WUFFLES!!"

"Wufei!!" came the indignant retort.

"I love you too, man!!" Duo shouted happily as he leapt across the table to topple the Chinese boy to the ground in an exuberant hug.

"Looks like they are doing okay to me," Trowa said lightly as he walked into the room with Quatre, Relena, Merian, Julie and Zechs in tow.

"Smile for the school paper!" Julie gushed as she took a picture of the red-faced Wufei and a beaming Duo.

"Relena told us that everything went well," Zechs said lightly as he sat down. "I guess we are all one big happy family, now."

Heero glared at Zechs, still not quite comfortable with the blond boy, but with Duo jumping back unto his lap, he lost some of the scowl and had to grunt and protest lightly as everyone else began to gather around them.

"What the hell is going on?" He asked a bit in irritation as Relena leaned against him, while Merian occupied his right side with Wufei right next to her. Trowa and Quatre stood behind them, with Zechs next to Relena, as they waited for Julie to set the camera on the timer.

"Okay…ready, guys?" She asked quickly as she ran around to join the group, making herself comfortable between Trowa and Quatre. "On the count of three…everyone say cheese, okay?"

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three!!"

"CHEEEEEEESE!!"

"And a side order of MAYO!!"

The bright flash of the camera caught carefree laughter as new and happier memories were ready to be created for a whole new generation.

Next…Epilogue


	17. Epilogue

Disclaimers: Do not own the Gundam Wing Characters

Warnings: AU, OOC, Yaoi and Shounen-ai

Pairings: (1 + 2) and a liiiitle surprise…./grins/

Song Used: Heaven by Bryan Adams. All rights reserved.

Author's Notes: Finally/sniffles/ we have come to the end of this looooooong and wonderful journey. I wish I could write every single person's name here, but my therapist won't recommend it --;;

I just want to say a general and heartfelt thanks to every single person that left me a message of encouragement or criticism. All your comments made this story possible. For a first GW fic…I am forever in your debt. Arigato gozaimas and for the last time….Enjoy!!

**EPILOGUE:**

**EIGHT MONTHS LATER:**

"_This is Glenda Burns reporting live from the press conference that has indeed shocked the world and the colonies. Long time rivals and multibillionaires of the famous dynasties have finally come together to merge in what has to be the most daring in the history of business as we know it. Business and economic analysts around the globe have said that this merger will do more to benefit both companies as the employment rates are expected to increase due to more job opportunities. In other related news, after the earlier shock of discovering that Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy were a couple, both families have announced that they would be having an exchange of vows later on in the year. You can be sure that the who's who of society will be there in full force to support this wonderful union…"_

&&&&

Relena, looking resplendent in a white off-shoulder designer evening gown, smiled softly and sat down next to her best friend on the swinging lounge chair. Leaning her head against his shoulder, she lifted his hand to stare at the plain gold band on his finger.

"I am so jealous," she purred softly as she took another sip of her champagne.

"Should I be jealous of Julie, too?" Duo asked mockingly as he placed an arm around her shoulder, leaving a light kiss on her forehead.

Relena flushed at the name of her friend and lover. "No. Julie is no threat to you." She twirled the end of his braid around her fingers for a moment before speaking again.

"Duo?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you happy with the ways things are with your parents now?"

Duo seemed to think about it for a minute before replying. "I guess mom did take it a bit hard at first, but I think she is coming to accept it. I mean she showed up tonight, didn't she? And even spoke to both of them too."

Relena nodded. "I guess it is kinda hard to swallow at first. And Helen?"

Duo grinned. "She's been the one running around seeing that every thing was ready for us tonight. She is worse than mom at organizing stuff." This caused both of them to laugh lightly as the image of the usual tomboyish young woman as a bustling maid came to mind.

Another comfortable silence fell as they swung gently in the cool evening breeze. The sounds of the party floated out to them as they stared at the stars in silence. "So, who's the husband?"

Duo blushed. "No one is the husband and no one is the wife, thank you very much. We are equals. You don't hear me saying that Julie is your wife now, do you?"

Relena chuckled and sat up, staring at the sparkling violet depths. "Aaah…I love you so much, Duo. And I am so happy that you are…well, happy."

"Relena…"

"And if that boy does anything to hurt you, I will hunt him down like the dog that he is!"

Duo blinked at her vehement tease before leaning forward to kiss her gently on the lips. "Thanks a lot, Lena. I don't know what I would have done without you…"

"Ahem!"

Both spun around as they noticed the green-eyed girl standing aside. Dressed in dark slacks and a sparkling white blouse, Julie looked just as stunning. "I came to steal her away from you, Duo," she joked. "You wouldn't mind now, would you?"

Duo gave a mock yawn and stuck his nose in the air. "Nah…you can take her. I was bored with her company anyway."

"Stupid," Relena muttered before chuckling and following her partner back into the party.

Duo closed his eyes and didn't bother to open them as he felt the new presence sit next to him. "Having fun, Q-man?" he drawled lazily.

"Oh, yes, Duo," came the slightly flustered reply. "Your engagement vows were quite moving and the party is quite exciting."

Duo opened up an eye to glance at the red-faced Arabian. "Quatre? You are drunk."

The blond giggled as he noticed his mate walk towards them. "Trowa insisted I try the wine. I think he was trying to get me drunk."

"I only told you to take a sip, Quatre. Not the entire bottle," Trowa commented dryly as he pulled the slighter boy gently to his feet. Wrapping his arms around Quatre, Trowa asked. "You coming to watch the fireworks, Duo?"

Duo nodded and rose to his feet, sticking his hands into the dark slacks he wore which complemented the black silk buttoned down shirt. Eyeing the crowd that had begun to make their way out to the lawns to witness the final display for the evening, he wondered where his mate could have possibly gone. They had spent the entire evening side by side until about an hour ago when Heero had said he had something important to do.

"Congratulations again," came the smooth voice behind him as Duo spun around to come face-to-face with Zechs.

"Oh, hey Zechs, having fun?" Duo asked with a smile on his face.

"Sure am."

Duo lowered his head and spoke in a low voice. "Look, I am really sorry things didn't quite work out for us, you know."

The blond man shook his head and smiled back in reassurance. "That's okay, Duo. I knew I never had a chance in the first place. I don't think I have a death wish."

Duo chuckled before he felt his presence. It was almost creepy, the way he could sense his mate before he even spoke. Heero, dressed in a pair of black pants, as well, but in a white shirt, scowled in irritation at the long-haired blond, before his mate distracted him with a well-placed kiss on his exposed neck. Without saying a word, Heero made his intentions quite clear and Zechs nodded amiably enough.

Raising his glass in a salute, he replied smoothly. "I will leave you two alone. Many years of happiness to you both."

Heero snorted as he watched Zechs walk away before moaning at Duo's touch. Wrapping his arms around the lithe waist, he pulled Duo closer to him and edged his neck away, causing the braided boy to whimper at the loss. "Aww…I want to kiss you, Hee-chan."

"I don't want him talking to you again, or I will kill him."

Duo blinked and stared at the serious expression on his mate's face. "Damn…remind me not to bring the mail man home then." At Heero's accompanying growl, Duo shook his head and leaned it against his shoulder. "You should learn to relax more, Heero."

His only reply was a grunt as the sky suddenly became filled with a beautiful kaleidoscope of colors. Duo 'oohed' and 'aahed' like everyone else, noticing that Heero never really said a word, although his eyes spoke volumes. Smiling softly, he craned his neck around to watch his friends with their various partners all focusing their attention to the sky as well.

He sighed in content and pressed his body tighter against Heero's, as their hands clasped each other tightly.

"I love you, Heero," he muttered softly, as another splash of green and red filled the night sky.

"Hai, Duo. I love you too."

And as if to punctuate the already meaningful evening, the sounds of a popular song floated out towards the lawns, causing partners to reach out for each other to dance.

Duo raised an eyebrow and chuckled lightly. "Hey, Heero…wanna dance?"

A muttered 'I don't dance' was quickly ignored as the American led his reluctant mate towards the other dancing couples.

_Oh-thinkin about all our younger years_

_There was only you and me_

_We were young and wild and free_

_Now nothin' can take you away from me_

_We've been down that road before_

_But that's over now_

_You keep me comin' back for more_

_And Baby you're all that I want_

When you're lyin here in my arms

_I'm findin' it hard to believe_

_We're in heaven_

_And love is all that I need_

_And I found it there in your heart_

_It isn't too hard to see_

_We're in heaven_

Somewhere above the crowd on the third floor patio of the large mansion, two men stood side-by-side watching the dancers below them in faint amusement, especially the antics of a certain long-haired American trying to teach an unmoving Japanese boy the rudiments of moving his feet to music. Chuckling, the older reached for the younger's hand and squeezed lightly, as eyes met in silent understanding.

"Do you think Peter and Masaki will ever forgive us?" Odin asked softly, as he pulled David closer to him.

David nodded gravely. "I hope they will, but I think they will be proud of the way their cousins turned out, right?"

"Hai. At least they will not make the same mistakes we made…"

David agreed mutely and leaned closer to the warmth of his partner, continuing to watch their sons dancing…at least something akin to dancing…

_Oh- once in your life you find someone_

_Who will turn your world around_

_Bring you up when you're feelin' down_

_Now nothin' could change what you mean to me_

_Oh there's lots that I could say_

_But just hold me now_

_Cause our love will light the way_

_I've been waiting for so long_

For something to arrive

_For love to come along_

_Now our dreams are comin' true_

_Through the good times and the bad_

_Ya- I'll be standin' there by you_

_And Baby you're all that I want_

_When you're lying here in my arms_

_I'm finding it hard to believe_

_We're in heaven_

_And love is all that I need_

_And I found it there in your heart_

_It isn't too hard to see_

_We're in heaven_

And somewhere in heaven, two souls finally found the peace that had longed been denied to them.

Forever together for all eternity…

**-The End-**


End file.
